Hospitals Ask County to Build Mass Care Facility for COVID-19 Surge

Atruim and Novant Health systems have asked Mecklenburg County and its' partners to build a Mass Care field hospital to treat as many as 3,000 additional COVID-19 patients during the anticipated surge of the virus.

In a joint letter today to Mecklenberg County Manager Dena Diorio, Atrium CEO Eugene Woods and Novant CEO Carl Armato say that in spite of canceling non-emergency visits, providing thousands of virtual visits, and increasing hospital bed capacity by 50 percent in the last several weeks, there is a potential need for as many as 3,000 additional hospital beds.

"We have been working with Emergency Management at the state and local levels to prepare for this potential since the incident began weeks ago, said Diorio. "And as we have done from the beginning, we are planning for the worst and hoping for the best."

As of 4:30 pm, 533 Mecklenburg County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, with three deaths reported.

Earlier today, UNC Charlotte notified students living in six dorms to remove their belongings to ensure the community has the resources to support Emergency Management, the Army Corps of Engineers and the National Guard.