Gov. Jay Inslee sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting that the federal government dispatch the U.S.S. Mercy to the Puget Sound region. Washington represents 20 percent of U.S. COVID-19 infections and 61 percent of nation-wide fatalities.
"It is clear that our medical capacity is the first to be impacted and is now the most severely challenged in the nation. While we are taking very aggressive measures to slow the spread of this deadly disease among our vulnerable citizens, it is becoming clear that our hospitals will be overwhelmed soon. To address this urgent situation, I am asking that you send one of the U.S. Navy’s hospital ships to Seattle as soon as possible. We anticipate that our hospitals will be in crisis by the end of this month."
Read the full letter.