M Health Fairview is transforming St. Paul’s Bethesda Hospital into a COVID-19 specialty care facility due to an anticipated increase in patients.

The move will allow M Health Fairview to treat COVID-19 patients in a place with specialized protective equipment and supplies like ventilators. It also helps limit exposure of the disease to health care workers and patients.

As part of the transformation, M Health Fairview will increase the number of beds from 50 to 90, including 35 ICU beds and 55 medical-surgical beds for “confirmed acutely ill COVID-19 patients.”

The patients currently being treated at Bethesda will be moved to other M Health Fairview system hospitals this week. They also will remain under the care of their existing care teams “where possible,” according to the release.

“Thank you to our nurses and healthcare providers for their tireless commitment to patient care and community safety in this unprecedented and difficult situation,” the release said. “We are proud of the work M Health Fairview staff is doing as we work ahead of the curve to address this quickly evolving pandemic.”