The Sault Area Hospital has taken steps to increase its capacity in hopes of meeting a potential surge in patients due to COVID-19.
The local hospital has managed to create over 100 inpatient care spaces and further created clear separation between areas which will allow for further expansion if needed.
Hospital officials believe they are in good shape with the capacity and the number of ventilators and the staff to run the equipment.
Currently 60% of ICU beds are occupied.
Over in the Michigan, Sault, War Memorial Hospital during normal operations has six ICU beds.
In the past few weeks, War Memorial has met the State of Michigan’s request to increase its surge capacity to 50% over its conventional capacity.
War Memorial is the only hospital in Michigan’s Eastern Upper Peninsula with intensive care unit beds.