Long Beach is considering using the Queen Mary as some type of medical facility as it battles the spread of the coronavirus, officials say.
Although few details were provided, the city said in a statement Saturday that the use of the historic attraction and hotel docked in Long Beach Harbor was under consideration.
“Long Beach has received an outpouring of individuals and businesses interested in supporting to combat the COVID-19 public health emergency,” officials said in the statement. “The City is coordinating plans regarding care facilities and more to ensure that we remain prepared to serve the needs of our community. The Queen Mary remains in consideration, and we will have a plan to announce in the future.”
As on Friday, the city had 171 cases and three deaths.
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To the west, in San Pedro, the Navy hospital ship the Mercy arrived last week to help. The Mercy has roughly 800 medical staffers, 1,000 hospital beds and 12 operating rooms. The ship will house patients who do not have COVID-19 in an attempt to free up regional hospital beds for those who do. Some patients who are already hospitalized in Los Angeles County will be transferred to the ship for ongoing treatment, port officials said Thursday.
News of the Queen Mary’s possible role in the fight against the coronavirus was first reported by the Long Beach Post.
