A Boston hospital is opening the first center in the country that will be dedicated to fighting the coronavirus, according to a report.

Carney Hospital in Dorchester on Tuesday began to convert a floor into a “dedicated care center” to treat patients who have the virus, news station WBZ-TV reported.

“It allows patients to be treated in a way that does not require other patients to potentially be contaminated by the virus itself,” Dr. Joseph Weinstein, the Chief Medical Officer for Steward Health Care, told the outlet.

Steward Health Care, which runs the hospital, said the renovations will include negative pressure patient wards, enhanced patient isolation protocols and obtaining more equipment to treat critical coronavirus cases.

The company said it plans to replicate the COVID-19 centers in eight other states where it has hospitals, according to the report.

Massachusetts has reported at least 218 cases of the coronavirus.