WC New Mexico News

New Mexico’s capacity to care for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 is close to expanding. 

The United States Corp. of Engineers’ project to convert a hospital and high school to a COVID-19 treatment center is nearly complete, according to KRQE. 

The engineering group is turning Gallup’s Miyamura High School and the old Lovelace Hospital in Albuquerque (located on Gibson) into a space to treat patients. Dozens of people are performing around-the-clock work as offices are now becoming general exam rooms, all within two weeks. The quick turnaround still includes necessary renovations like adding plumbing and making sure hospital beds have sufficient oxygen needed to help patients suffering with the virus, which was declared a pandemic last month.

Lt. Col. Robin Scott said, according to KQRE, “Typically we would build a hospital from the ground up. This is different but emergency operations is one of our missions, so we work with [Federal Emergency Management Agency] to provide public works and engineering assistance to disasters and other incidents that require a coordinated national response.”

The coronavirus has quickly spread throughout the nation, hitting local areas in New Mexico, such as Albuquerque. Schools have been closed down and many operations have closed their doors in an effort to flatten the curve, and ultimately slow the spread of the highly-contagious condition.

Due to the spread, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has extended the stay-at-home order to May 15. It has been in place since 8 a.m. on Tuesday, April 7, KRQE has reported.