By Associated Press - Wednesday, April 8, 2020

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) - The Miami Beach Convention Center will be converted into a field hospital during the coronavirus pandemic.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will transform the newly renovated facility into a hospital by April 27, news outlets reported Tuesday. Officials have not announced whether the convention center will house coronavirus patients or serve as an overflow hospital.

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber told The Miami Herald the decision to install 450 preliminary beds in the center was made in order to prepare the city for the worst case scenario. “It will sit vacant hopefully until it is dismantled.” Gelber said.

In late March, the state built a 250-bed medical tent in a Miami-Dade park to handle possible overflow patients. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said that tent would likely remain empty as well.

Officials have not yet determined the total number of beds to place in the convention facility.

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Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.

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