WEST ALLIS, Wis. — The Alternate Care Facility at State Fair Park opened in West Allis Wednesday.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported 158,578 positive COVID-19 cases in the state Wednesday afternoon, which has been an increase of over 3,000 for multiple days in a row. Wisconsin also has more than 1,000 hospitalizations tied to COVID-19 for the first time as of Wednesday.

The Alternate Care Facility (ACF) is a makeshift hospital and meant to help overwhelmed health systems across the state.

According to a frequently asked questions report released by the State of Wisconsin Department of Administration, “the Army Corp of Engineers constructed 530 patient spaces, of which 296 include in-line oxygen. Should expansion be needed, the facility can accommodate 754 total patient spaces.”

The report also includes how many people will be employed at the ACF.

“The number of individuals working at the facility will continue to be dependent upon the needs of the patients at the facility. As of mid-April, 200 individuals have been identified to serve, including a number of volunteers, members of the Wisconsin National Guard, and limited-term state employees.”

Staff at the ACF are communicating with hospitals across the state to see how they can start helping.

Hospitals look at patients with COVID-19 that are in recovery. They also have to be in the hospital for at least 48 hours, cannot be an ICU patient and have somewhat normal vital signs, according to Debra Standridge, CEO of the ACF.

While there were no patients being admitted on the opening day of the facility, health officials expect to have patients transferred from area hospitals in the days to come.