SOURCE: Samaritan’s Purse organization’s website – https://www.samaritanspurse.org
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: This article is being published just as it appears in the organization’s website. We ask our readers to consider donating towards this wonderful organization via their website!
The Samaritan’s Purse Emergency Field Hospital in Central Park opened on April 1 to care for those suffering with COVID-19. We already have taken in more than 30 patients and will continue to receive the sick until capacity is reached. Four are in intensive care.
Our 14-tent, 68-bed respiratory care unit was designed especially for this coronavirus response; among other notable features, the mobile medical facility includes 10 ICU beds equipped with ventilators. Patients are coming to us from our partner, the Mount Sinai Health System, which has, like other healthcare facilities, been overwhelmed by those sickened with the virus.
“Samaritan’s Purse has been asked to help in New York as the state and their medical infrastructure have been overwhelmed by the coronavirus,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “We are grateful to be working alongside Mount Sinai Health System to help meet this critical need. In a time of crisis, we all have to come together to help people who are suffering. Samaritan’s Purse is responding in Jesus’ Name—please pray for everyone affected by this deadly virus.”
We have a Disaster Assistance Response Team of more than 70 doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel/relief specialists on the ground providing expert care and serving suffering people in Jesus’ Name. Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains are also working and ministering beside us. Our convoy of trucks arrived in the city on March 28 and our staff, along with many local volunteers, worked tirelessly to prepare the hospital to receive patients.
“Mount Sinai Health System is grateful for the partnership with the Governor and Mayor in their leadership and support in the fight against this pandemic,” said Margaret Pastuszko, executive vice president, chief operating officer, and chief strategy officer, Mount Sinai Health System. “In order to meet the needs of the coming surge, we must work as a united front in order save as many lives as possible. We are grateful for the collaboration with Samaritan’s Purse who have come to the aid of the people of Italy and now New York. Through this partnership, we are leveraging our collective resources to care for our patients and community.”
Dr. David L. Reich and other Mount Sinai staff toured the field hospital with our team yesterday. Reich is president and chief operating officer of The Mount Sinai Hospital and President of Mount Sinai Queens, both part of the Mount Sinai Health System.
The situation in New York City is dire as the five boroughs are reporting a total of more than 1,500 deaths and about 52,000 COVID-19 cases.
These staggering numbers make the metropolis a major hotspot in this pandemic. The United States has reported more than 260,000 active coronavirus cases—the highest total in the world—and, sadly, nearly 7,000 deaths throughout the country.
Please pray for our New York City team as they demonstrate God’s love to every patient who comes to the field hospital. Pray also for our Disaster Assistance Response Team serving in Italy, where we have another 68-bed Emergency Field Hospital set up outside of Milan.
Pray that God will soon bring an end to this deadly pandemic. More than 1 million infections have been reported worldwide. If you are a Christian healthcare professional, please go here to inquire about serving in Jesus’ Name during this COVID-19 response. This article was originally published on April 1 and has been updated through April 3