WASHINGTON – In response to a surge of COVID-19 cases in El Paso, today U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) called Assistant Secretary of Defense Kenneth Rapuano to request he open the William Beaumont Army Medical Center to relieve pressure on El Paso area medical facilities that have run out of bed space.
Earlier this week, the Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM) submitted a request to the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to open the William Beaumont Army Medical Center with the support of Gov. Abbott and Mayor Dee Margo.
Gov. Abbott announced today that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is deploying two 35-person Disaster Medical Assistance Teams, a Critical Care Team, and Regional Emergency Coordinators from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response to El Paso and the Texas State Operations Center to assist with the coordination of federal assets to combat COVID-19 in El Paso. He also announced that the TDEM will establish an alternate care site at the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center with a capacity of 50 beds, able to expand to 100 beds if needed.