LOS ANGELES – The 1,000-bed Navy hospital ship, USNS Mercy, accepted its first patients in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles on Friday to help the state’s response to COVID-19. While the ship is in Southern California it will act as a referral hospital for non-coronavirus patients who are currently being treated in shore-based hospitals.

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"I couldn't be more proud of our crew for all the hard work they did to get us here and ready in such a short time," said Capt. John Rotruck, Mercy's Military Treatment Facility commanding officer.  "Being able to accept our first patients is a true testament of the teamwork between Mercy, the Navy, the State of California, the county of Los Angeles, and the City and Port of L.A."

 

A full spectrum of medical care will be provided at the ship hospital including general surgeries, critical care, and ward care. Currently, hospitals are struggling to deal with the influx of coronavirus cases and people in need of testing while balancing other cases. With the ship able to treat non-COVID-19 patients, local health care professionals will be able to focus on those who are infected.

The USNS Mercy is a seagoing medical facility staffed with Navy medical support assembled from 22 commands and 70 civil service mariners. Mercy provides a mobile medical facility to the U.S. military and can act as a full service hospital across the U.S. during times of disaster.