London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) will be opening a temporary off-site hospital at the Western Fair District Agriplex as it prepares for an expected surge in cases of the novel coronavirus.
The field hospital will open with 180 beds but have the capacity to expand to 500. LHSC made the announcement on Friday and says the work is being undertaken “in partnership with the Western Fair District and the City of London.” It adds that this is part of a larger pandemic response plan for the southwestern Ontario region. “This facility will be an extension of LHSC under the Public Hospitals Act and will initially be used as a transfer facility for patients who are recovering from COVID-19 but not yet well enough to be discharged home,” a release