The Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy will depart Naval Base San Diego on Monday in support of the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Navy said Sunday the Mercy will deploy with over 800 Navy medical personnel and support staff and more than 70 civil service mariners.
The ship will serve as a referral hospital for patients without coronavirus to relieve the pressure on civilian hospitals on shore. The ship can provide a full spectrum of medical care.
While the Navy did not say where the ship was headed, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has asked for it to be deployed to Los Angeles Harbor.
The giant ship, which was built at NASSCO in San Diego using a supertanker hull, has 1,000 beds and 18 operating rooms.
The Navy’s other hospital ship, the USNS Comfort based in Norfolk, is undergoing maintenance but is expected to soon be sent to New York Harbor.
