Hospital ships designated for the COVID-19 pandemic

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USNS Mercy arrives in Los Angeles, California on 27 March 2020 USNS Mercy Los Angeles, Ca.jpg
USNS Mercy arrives in Los Angeles, California on 27 March 2020
USNS Comfort heading up the Hudson River USNS Comfort arrives Manhattan jeh.jpg
USNS Comfort heading up the Hudson River

In connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, navies from several countries deployed hospital ships to combat the disease. Aside from providing health services, hospital ships would allow civilian hospitals to offload some of the patients, relieving the pressure on facilities ashore. [1] [2] However, this also means that each ship would battle the onboard outbreaks of their own [3]

Contents

As the infections have slowed or fallen short of worst-case predictions, the hospital ships became unused or barely used. [4]

KRI dr. Soeharso

The Indonesian Navy KRI dr. Soeharso picked up 188 Indonesian crew of the cruise ship World Dream in the Durian Strait on 26 February 2020. The vessel took them to Sebaru Kecil Islet and placed under quarantine. [5]

dr. Soeharso evacuated 89 crew of the cruise ship Diamond Princess from Indramayu thermal power plant port, after the crew got health certificate from Japan and flew to Kertajati International Airport. They then used buses to travel to port. The crew underwent a second round of test, of which one crew member had a positive result for COVID-19 and was hospitalized in Jakarta. 68 crew of Diamond Princess disembarked at Sebaru Kecil Islet. World Dream evacuees and Diamond Princess evacuees were housed at separated different blocks/buildings. [6] [7]

KRI Semarang

The Indonesian Navy KRI Semarang transported 68 crews of the Diamond Princess who underwent observation for the coronavirus disease 2019 in Sebaru Kecil Islet to the Port of Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, on 15 March 2020. [8] She transported hand sanitizers from Singapore to Batam on 9 April 2020. [9] On 18 May 2020, she was dispatched to carry COVID-19 testing kits and hand sanitizers from Yayasan Temasek Singapura, Singapore, to Indonesia. [10]

USNS Mercy

USNS Mercy was deployed to Los Angeles to provide hospital relief from the COVID-19 pandemic. [11] The ship arrived and docked at the Port of Los Angeles cruise ship terminal on 27 March 2020. [12] Her mission was to treat patients other than those with COVID-19, freeing up land-based hospitals to deal with the virus, [13] similar to how USNS Comfort deployed in New York. [14] As of 14 April, 2020, seven crew members have tested positive for the virus and been removed from the ship for quarantine, along with 100 other sailors who had contact with them. [15] [16] As of 15 April, Mercy had treated 48 patients, of whom 30 have been discharged. [16] The ship departed Los Angeles on 15 May. [17]

On 31 March, while the ship was docked, a Pacific Harbor Line freight train was derailed, with the wreckage coming to a stop just 230 m (250 yd) from the ship. In an apparent "bizarre attempt to expose a perceived conspiracy", the derailment was intentionally caused by the train engineer who told police that he was suspicious of the vessel and believed the ship was not "what they say it's for." No one was injured and the ship was not harmed; the engineer was charged with train wrecking. [18]

USNS Comfort

Comfort began deployment from Norfolk, Virginia, to New York Harbor on 28 March 2020 to help deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. [19] [20] Comfort arrived in New York on 30 March, [21] [22] and docked at Pier 90. [23] Although the ship has 1,100 personnel and a capacity of 1,000 beds, as of 3 April it was treating only 22 patients; [24] the low figure was attributable to "bureaucratic obstacles and military procedures." [23]

The ship's stated mission was, originally, to treat patients who did not have COVID-19, freeing up land-based hospitals to focus on patients with the virus, [21] and originally required a patient to test negative for the coronavirus before boarding, but on 3 April changed its process to no longer requires a negative test and to accept "asymptomatic, screened patients who will be isolated and tested immediately upon arrival." [23] On 3 April, multiple patients with the virus spent the night aboard the ship after they were accidentally transferred to the ship from the Jacob K. Javits Center, where a field hospital was in operation; the patients were transferred back to the Javits Center after testing positive for the virus." [23]

On 17 April it was announced that "the USNS COMFORT is prepared to admit patients within a one-hour traveling radius from the ship," and preparations were made to receive coronavirus patients from the Philadelphia area. The ship has removed half its 1000 beds so that it could isolate and treat coronavirus patients. [25] On 21 April, Governor Cuomo told President Trump that the ship was no longer needed in New York. While docked in the city, it treated 179 patients. [26]

Splendid

Splendid in 2007 Splendid PB030988.jpg
Splendid in 2007

Mediterranean Shipping Company's Grandi Navi Veloci converted one of their ferries, Splendid  [ it ], into a hospital ship in order to treat coronavirus patients. [27] The ship was delivered to Liguria, Italy, on 23 March 2020, and was made available for the symbolic cost of 1 EUR. [28] [29] With help from Registro Italiano Navale and a number of local and national companies, many of which donated their time, materials, and expertise, Splendid was converted into a hospital ship in roughly 10 days. [29] [30] [31] Docked at Genoa's Ponte Colombo, the hospital ship is currently treating only coronavirus patients without serious pathologies, such as patients recovering after having been previously intubated. [32] [33] [34]

BRP Ang Pangulo

On 3 April 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines ordered the conversion of BRP Ang Pangulo of the Philippine Navy (PN) to accommodate COVID-19 patients. The presidential yacht was used as a 28-bed capacity isolation facility for military frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. [35] [36]

On 30 April 2021, the PN has announced that the Ang Pangulo was prepared to admit coronavirus patients. The ship was docked at Pier 13, Manila South Harbor. [37]

As of 22 January 2022, the PN announced that the ship was able to extend medical aid to a total of 2,450 patients in Siargao and the Dinagat Islands as part of its humanitarian missions in the area. [38]

Related Research Articles

USNS <i>Mercy</i> Hospital ship of the United States Navy

USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) is the lead ship of her class of hospital ships in non-commissioned service with the United States Navy. Her sister ship is USNS Comfort (T-AH-20). She is the third US Navy ship to be named for the virtue mercy. In accordance with the Geneva Conventions, Mercy and her crew do not carry any offensive weapons, though defensive weapons are available.

USNS <i>Comfort</i> Hospital ship of the United States Navy

USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) is a Mercy-class hospital ship of the United States Navy.

<i>Mercy</i>-class hospital ship

The Mercy class of hospital ships are converted San Clemente-class supertankers used by the United States Navy. Originally built in the 1970s by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, they were acquired by the Navy and converted into hospital ships, coming into service in 1986 and 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Unified Assistance</span>

Operation Unified Assistance was the American military's humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. On 28 December 2004, elements of the Combined Support Force were deployed to U-Tapao International Airport in Thailand. More than 12,600 Department of Defense personnel were involved in the relief effort.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercy Ships</span> International charitable organization

Mercy Ships is an international charity based on Christian values that operates the largest non-governmental hospital ships in the world, providing hope and healing to Africa's most needy, community development projects, community health education, mental health programs, agriculture projects, and palliative care for terminally ill patients. Its headquarters are in Garden Valley, Texas.

MV <i>Artania</i> Cruise ship

MV Artania is a cruise ship chartered since 2011 by Phoenix Reisen, a German-based travel agency and cruise ship operator. She was built for Princess Cruises by Wärtsilä at the Helsinki Shipyard, Finland, and was launched on 18 February 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manhattan Cruise Terminal</span> Ship terminal in Manhattan, New York

The Manhattan Cruise Terminal, formerly known as the New York Passenger Ship Terminal or Port Authority Passenger Ship Terminal is a ship terminal for ocean-going passenger ships in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York City.

KRI <i>dr. Soeharso</i>

KRI dr. Soeharso is a hospital ship of the Indonesian Navy. She was initially designed and built in 2003 in South Korea as a landing platform dock named KRI Tanjung Dalpele. However, after her launch she was redesignated as a multi-purpose hospital ship. In 2020, dr. Soeharso was used to transport Indonesian crew from cruise ships during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chinese hospital ship <i>Daishan Dao</i> Chinese hospital ship

Daishan Dao is a Type 920 hospital ship of the People's Liberation Army Navy of the People's Republic of China. Daishan Dao is also known as Peace Ark during peacetime, and has received NATO reporting name Anwei class.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific Partnership</span>

Pacific Partnership is an annual deployment of forces from the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy (USN), in cooperation with regional governments and military forces, along with humanitarian and non-government organizations.

BRP <i>Ang Pangulo</i> (AT-25)

BRP Ang Pangulo (AT-25) is a presidential yacht that was acquired by the Philippine government in 1959. The yacht was first used by President Carlos P. Garcia.

MS <i>Manara</i> Cruise ship

Manara is a cruise ship of AROYA Cruises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grandi Navi Veloci</span> Italian ferry operator

Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) is an Italian shipping company, based in Genoa, that operates ferries between mainland Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, France, Spain, Albania, Morocco and Tunisia. It was established by Aldo Grimaldi in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships</span>

Early in 2020, in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the disease spread to a number of cruise ships, with the nature of such ships – including crowded semi-enclosed areas, increased exposure to new environments, and limited medical resources – contributing to the heightened risk and rapid spread of the disease.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 Response Acceleration Task Force</span> Task Force to Handle the Covid-19 Pandemic in Indonesia

COVID-19 Response Acceleration Task Force was a task force that coordinates and oversees the Indonesian government's efforts to accelerate the mitigation of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was established on 13 March 2020, coordinated by Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management, involves Ministry of Health, Indonesian National Police, and Indonesian Armed Forces. The task force executive board was led by Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management head Doni Monardo, with Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Muhadjir Effendy as the head of advisory board.

COVID-19 pandemic on USS <i>Theodore Roosevelt</i> COVID-19 outbreak on USS Theodore Roosevelt

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic, was detected on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in March 2020 while she was at sea. Affected crew members were evacuated and the ship was ordered to Guam. The captain, Brett Crozier, wanted most of the crew to be removed from the ship to prevent the spread of the disease, but his superiors were reluctant. After several days Crozier e-mailed three of his superior officers and seven other Navy Captains, outlining a plan for the ship to be largely evacuated because the virus could not be contained on board. The letter leaked to the press, and the next day the Navy ordered most of the crew to be taken ashore, but the captain was relieved of command by Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly. Modly's order was controversial, and his later speech to the crew aboard Theodore Roosevelt was criticized. Modly resigned a few days later. By mid-April hundreds of crew members including Crozier had tested positive for the virus, and one had died.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic on naval ships</span> Ongoing COVID-19 viral pandemic on military ships

The COVID-19 pandemic spread to many military ships. The nature of these ships, which includes working with others in small enclosed areas and a lack of private quarters for the vast majority of crew, contributed to the rapid spread of the disease, even more so than on cruise ships.

COVID-19 pandemic on <i>Diamond Princess</i> COVID-19 viral pandemic on Diamond Princess

The Diamond Princess is a British-registered luxury and cruise ship that is operated by Princess Cruises, a holiday company based in the United States and Bermuda. In February 2020, during a cruise of the Western Pacific, cases of COVID-19 were detected on board. The vessel was quarantined off Japan for two weeks, after which all remaining passengers and crew were evacuated. Of the 3,711 people on board, 712 became infected with the virus – 567 of 2,666 passengers, and 145 of 1,045 crew. Figures for total deaths vary from early to later assessments, and because of difficulties in establishing causation. As many as 14 are reported to have died from the virus, all of them older passengers – an overall mortality rate for those infected of 2%.

COVID-19 pandemic on <i>Grand Princess</i> Ongoing COVID-19 viral pandemic on Grand Princess

During the COVID-19 pandemic, former passengers of the cruise ship Grand Princess who had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were being linked to cruises they had taken on the ship while it traveled between California, Mexico, and Hawaii. After the first confirmed death on 4 March 2020, Grand Princess was rerouted to the San Francisco Bay Area, where it was anchored offshore while test kits were airlifted to the ship. Preliminary testing found 21 positive cases, and the ship later docked in Oakland on 9 March 2020, with over 3,000 people entering quarantine.

KRI <i>Semarang</i> (594) Indonesian Navy hospital ship

KRI Semarang(594) is an Indonesian Navy hospital ship converted from the fifth Makassar-class landing platform dock of the Indonesian Navy.

References

  1. ↑ "Trump Says Hospital Ships Are Headed to Help Combat Coronavirus. It Could Be a While". Time. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  2. ↑ "Coronavirus: Five things the military can do during pandemic". BBC News. 21 March 2020. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  3. ↑ "Australia's landing ships could help the Pacific islands deal with Covid-19". The Strategist. 15 April 2020. Archived from the original on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  4. ↑ "The Mercy and other Navy hospital ships, once thought vital for the coronavirus crisis, see few patients". Los Angeles Times. 1 May 2020. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  5. ↑ Afifa, Laila (25 February 2020). "KRI Soeharso to Pick Up Indonesian Crew at World Dream Tomorrow". tempo.co. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  6. ↑ "'Diamond Princess' evacuees to start separate quarantine on Sebaru island". The Jakarta Post. 2 March 2020. Archived from the original on 7 April 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  7. ↑ "Another Diamond Princess Crew Member From Indonesia Suspected of Contracting Coronavirus". Jakarta Globe. 6 March 2020. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  8. ↑ "Diangkut KRI Semarang, WNI ABK Diamond Princess Tiba di Tanjung Priok". detiknews (in Indonesian). 15 March 2020. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  9. ↑ "KRI Semarang Angkut Pembersih Tangan Bantuan Singapura". Kompas (in Indonesian). 9 April 2020. Archived from the original on 10 May 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  10. ↑ "Guskamla Kerahkan KRI Jemput Alat Tes Covid-19 di Singapura". Republika Online (in Indonesian). 18 May 2020. Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  11. ↑ LaGrone, Sam (17 March 2020). "Pentagon Preparing Navy Hospital Ships Mercy, Comfort for Coronavirus Response". USNI News (Press release). United States Naval Institute. Archived from the original on 3 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  12. ↑ Correll, Diana Stancy (27 March 2020). "USNS Mercy arrives in Los Angeles to support Covid-19 response". Navy Times. Archived from the original on 31 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  13. ↑ Lloyd, Jonathan; Chang, Hetty (27 March 2020). "Help Arrives for Strained Hospitals When Navy Ship Mercy Docks at the Port of LA". NBC Los Angeles. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  14. ↑ "Crowds Greet USNS Comfort in NYC Monday; Ship to Help Hospitals With Non-Coronavirus Patients". NBC New York. 30 March 2020. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  15. ↑ Simkins, J.D. (14 April 2020). "Navy struggling to slow outbreak on USNS Mercy as 7 sailors test positive". Navy Times. Retrieved 16 April 2020.[ permanent dead link ]
  16. 1 2 Naso, Bridget (15 April 2020). "Infected USNS Mercy Crew Members Had Contact With Patients, Navy Says". NBC San Diego. Archived from the original on 19 April 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  17. ↑ "USNS Mercy Leaves Los Angeles After Treating 77 Patients; Some Personnel Will Remain in L.A." USNI News. 15 May 2020. Archived from the original on 22 July 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  18. ↑ Bill Chappell (2 April 2020). "Train Engineer Says He Crashed In Attempt To Attack Navy Hospital Ship In L.A." NPR. Archived from the original on 14 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  19. ↑ LaGrone, Sam (28 March 2020). "Trump Gives USNS Comfort a Send-Off as Hospital Ship Departs for New York" (Press release). United States Naval Institute. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  20. ↑ Eckstein, Megan (26 March 2020). "USNS Comfort Will Depart for New York on Saturday with Trump, Modly in Attendance" (Press release). United States Naval Institute. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  21. 1 2 "Crowds Greet USNS Comfort in NYC Monday; Ship to Help Hospitals With Non-Coronavirus Patients". NBC New York. 30 March 2020. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  22. ↑ Cooper, Helene & Gibbons-Neff, Thomas (30 March 2020). "Navy Hospital Ship Reaches New York. But It's Not Made to Contain Coronavirus". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  23. 1 2 3 4 Feuer, William (4 April 2020). "Coronavirus patients spend night on Navy hospital ship meant for non-infected New York patients". CNBC. Archived from the original on 5 April 2020.
  24. ↑ Stracqualursi, Veronica & Browne, Ryan. "Navy hospital ship deployed to NYC with 1,000 bed capacity is only treating 22 patients". CNN. Archived from the original on 13 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  25. ↑ "USNS Comfort hospital ship ready for Philly COVID-19 patients". WPVI-TV. 17 April 2020. Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  26. ↑ "Gov. Cuomo Tells Trump USNS Comfort No Longer Needed in NYC". NBC New York. 22 April 2020. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  27. ↑ "MSC GROUP'S GRANDI NAVI VELOCI (GNV) CONVERTS FERRY INTO FLOATING HOSPITAL FOR CORONAVIRUS RELIEF IN GENOA, ITALY". www.msccruisesusa.com. 25 March 2020. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  28. ↑ "Da traghetto a nave ospedale: la nuova avventura della Gnv Splendid". GNV Nave Ospedale. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  29. 1 2 "Splendid case study — how the first passenger ship was transformed for coronavirus relief". seatrade-cruise.com. 20 March 2020. Archived from the original on 10 May 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  30. ↑ "How GNV converted a ferry to a floating hospital". Riviera. Archived from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  31. ↑ "Turismo & Attualità - GNV Splendid trasfomata in nave ospedale". www.advtraining.it. Archived from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  32. ↑ "SPLENDID Current position (Passenger/Ro-Ro Cargo Ship, IMO 9015747) - VesselFinder". www.vesselfinder.com. Archived from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  33. ↑ "Il medico a bordo della nave-ospedale: "Ne servono altre per isolare i pazienti"". La Voce di Genova. 6 May 2020. Archived from the original on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  34. ↑ "Grandi Navi Veloci converts ferry into floating hospital". CruiseandFerry.net. Archived from the original on 19 May 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  35. ↑ Nepomuceno, Priam (5 April 2020). "PH Navy ready to convert presidential yacht into medical ship". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on 27 May 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  36. ↑ Sadongdong, Martin (17 August 2020). "Presidential yacht used as floating quarantine for military frontliners". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  37. ↑ "BRP Ang Pangulo ready to take in COVID-19 patients". pia.gov.ph. Philippine Information Agency. 30 April 2021. Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  38. ↑ ""BRP Ang Pangulo provides Medical Aid to 926 more Patients"". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
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