DETROIT -- With the 2020 North American International Auto Show canceled to make room for a field hospital, crews have been busy inside the TCF Center in downtown Detroit, turning it into a space fit to accommodate hundreds of COVID-19 patients and health care workers.

The Federal Emergency Management Administration chose the venue -- formerly known as Cobo Hall -- to serve as a hospital site for at least six months as health care workers continue battling the ongoing spread of the new coronavirus.

The 1,000-bed field hospital will be separated into an upper floor with 600 beds for seriously ill patients and a lower floor with 400 beds for patients who are recovering from COVID-19, said Penny Carroll, spokesperson for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The upper floor will accommodate patients who require oxygen, but not a ventilator. The hospital may begin treating patients as early as Thursday, April 9, said Lt. Col. Greg Turner, commander of the Detroit District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

On Saturday, contractors worked with Michigan National Guard soldiers and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel to place mattresses on beds on the second level while preparing partitions on the lower floor. Hall C, which will contain 600 beds for the most severely ill patients on site, will feature a positive pressure system to help control the flow of contaminants in the 26,000-square-foot space, officials said.

2020 Detroit auto show canceled after FEMA picks TCF Center as field hospital site in coronavirus battle

The Detroit auto show for decades took place in January before organizers in 2018 announced that the 2020 show would move to summer, with various outdoor events planned. The show was scheduled to begin in June, but FEMA’s decision to use the TCF Center as a field hospital late last month forced the show’s cancellation. More than 770,000 people attended the 2019 Detroit auto show, driving an estimated economic impact of $430 million to the region, with large numbers of visitors dining at area restaurants and filling hotels during the show.

Detroit has been a hot spot for COVID-19 cases, with 3,958 reported cases and 131 deaths as of Saturday, April 4. In total, Michigan has recorded 14,225 cases and 540 deaths.

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CORONAVIRUS PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus. Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible. Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and when you go into places like stores.

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