Surgeon General Tours Baltimore Coronavirus Field Hospital

BALTIMORE, MD — The Surgeon General of the United States was in Baltimore Friday learning about the collaborative efforts underway as the city works to combat the coronavirus.

Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams wanted to see not only "how the city and the state and local organizations and academic institutions like Johns Hopkins have come together to make testing available to the people in the area," he said, "but also how they’ve stood up a field hospital here.

Leaders from the state and city health departments joined those from Johns Hopkins Medicine and the University of Maryland to brief Adams on the operation.

He called the Baltimore Convention Center Field Hospital "truly an amazing example of public-private partnerships."

When Gov. Larry Hogan announced the field hospital was being prepared in late March by the National Guard, he said Johns Hopkins Medicine and the University of Maryland Medical System would partner to stand up a field hospital and alternate care site.

Adams spoke with one of the call center representatives, who helps people book appointments for coronavirus testing at the convention center, which began offering the free service in June. Results can come in within two to five days after testing.

The surgeon general's visit coincided with the Baltimore hitting its lowest positivity rate since July 9, according to state officials, who said the city's positivity rate was 5 percent Friday.

There are 93,806 confirmed cases of the coronavirus statewide as of Friday, according to the Maryland Department of Health, which reports 3,429 Marylanders have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

Related:

• White House Coronavirus Official On Baltimore: 'We Are Concerned'
• Coronavirus: Baltimore Convention Center To Become Field Hospital