BOSTON — A growing number of U.S. colleges are preparing to turn empty dorms into temporary housing for patients with the coronavirus as the nation’s hospitals brace for a possible surge of cases that could push treatment centers beyond their limits.

Tufts University announced Wednesday that it’s making hundreds of vacant dorm rooms available in coming weeks to help relieve stress on the health care system.

The school's president called on university leaders across the country to follow suit.

Middlebury College in Vermont said it's also offering some buildings as local officials craft emergency plans, and New York University is asking students who live nearby to return and clear out their dorm rooms in case they're needed to house patients later.