The shuttered Community Hospital Long Beach reopened Monday to help deal with the COVID-19 surge that is inundating area hospitals.
The hospital closed in 2018 after it was found to be sitting on an active earthquake fault line. But city officials say new leadership has spent more than $6 million over the past 18 months to reopen the hospital, including:
That means the facility, which first opened in 1924, now meets current seismic standards. With the improvements, the California Department of Public Health last week gave the hospital the green light to accept new patients.
The hospital will have 11 ICU beds, as well as space for 40 other patients who are not as critically ill.
Some important caveats: Only non-COVID patients will be treated, and walk-ins will not be accepted. The available beds are intended to free up space in other hospitals to focus on those with the virus.
As of late last week, there were more than 500 COVID-19 patients in Long Beach-area hospitals.
"With hospitals across our city and state at capacity, this reopening is critical for the safety and care of our community," said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. "Community Hospital is a local institution and I'm incredibly grateful to our hospital partners and the state for getting it open. We expect the hospital reopening to have an immediate impact on local capacity and our ability to save lives."
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
