HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Governor Ned Lamont has given the order to turn the Connecticut Convention Center into the state’s largest field hospital for coronavirus patients.

The Army and Air Guard started to set up the operation Saturday morning at 7 a.m. and will be back on Monday to finish up.

Video Courtesy: Hartford HealthCare





“With 646 beds, this annex site represents a dramatic increase in hospital bed capacity, and we are grateful to our partners at Hartford HealthCare, the State of Connecticut, and the Connecticut National Guard,” said Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin.

He said they are not taking any chances because the numbers in the city are growing exponentially.

“Hartford now has just over 300 confirmed cases, which is just up from under 200 cases only two days ago,” he said. “So we are continuing to see a significant increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 tests.”

The National Guard is setting up these beds, on top of the already 1,100 beds they have around the state.

When you take a look at the sheer size of the convention center and its central location in Hartford, it’s not going to be for just Hartford patients, but people from all over the state.

Captain David Pytlik of the CT National Guard said they can use this as a recovery ground for people coming out of the hospital.

“So we will get all of the beds probably set up [Saturday] and then there will be some improvements to the facility as we go on a little bit longer,” he said. “There will be nursing stations and that sort of infrastructure that goes along to support those patients that are recovering.”