The Los Angeles Convention Center was being transformed Sunday into a federal field hospital to prepare for an expected surge in coronavirus cases in Southern California.
California's National Guard helped prepare the center Sunday, placing rows of hospital beds and medical supplies on the convention floor in an effort to relieve the pressure facing medical centers treating COVID-19 patients. The transformation was a dramatic change for a space that hosts major showcase events like the Los Angeles Auto Show.
It was not immediately clear when the field hospital would begin treating patients.
"The more we do, the quicker this will be over. The less we do, the longer it will be,'' Mayor Eric Garcetti said Sunday.
Garcetti said the city is in the process of opening up five new emergency shelters to move the homeless indoors. Currently, the city is operating 540 shelters, which are about 91% filled.