The Baltimore Convention is being prepped to become a temporary hospital as part of a push to add 6,000 more hospital beds statewide. State and local officials are working to open closed facilities and free up other bed space as they prepare for a surge of coronavirus patients.

The Baltimore Sun reports:

The federal government has pledged to deliver 250 beds for the downtown Baltimore facility, which will be jointly run by the University of Maryland Medical System and Johns Hopkins Hospital with help from medics from the National Guard. Hogan said the field hospital could be expanded to hold as many as 750 patients as the virus spreads.

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The city-owned Hilton Hotel adjacent to the convention center, also will be used as part of the field hospital. The state already has freed up 900 more beds at hospitals statewide that are immediately available. Another 1,400 beds should be ready by early April.

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As coronavirus spreads, Maryland officials begin turning Baltimore Convention Center into makeshift hospital(The Baltimore Sun)