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US Army leadership visits field hospital at Detroit's TCF Center

Posted at 4:11 PM, Apr 22, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-22 18:34:28-04

(WXYZ) — Detroit's TCF Center field hospital is getting strong praise from the leader of the U.S. Army. He and federal lawmakers are taking a closer look at how 16 patients are being treated amid the coronavirus crisis.

The secretary of the U.S. Army, and the vice chief of staff tell 7 Action News what's happening at the TCF field hospital is truly remarkeble, and all over the country people are stepping up in a big way to fight against coronavirus.

Facing an enemy invisible to the U.S., Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy says Detroit's progress in confronting the COVID-19 crisis can be seen in the large number of empty beds at the TCF field hospital, and in the rapid response we've delivered.

“At the end of the day it’s collaboration of municipal, state and federal assets that get us through this. The uniforms back here on the front lines, are going to win,” McCarthy said.

U.S. Army Vice Chief of Staff General Joseph Martin added that ther has been exceptional communication between the army and other agencies and local communities, and it is also proving to have a tremendous impact.

“We meet multiple times a day. That report number yesterday was 89 since the task force started," Martin said. "Do the math and see how long we’ve been collaborating.”

Today's press conference follows a tour of the TCF Center and meetings with elected leaders.

They tell 7 Action News that field hospitals like this will stay open until there's no longer a threat of a second wave of cases, and fully reopening the economy must also depend on what scientific data shows.

Leaders point to things like a thermal sanitization unit that cleans 7,000 masks in two hours. The machine is at a National Guard armory and collaboration with companies like B.A.E. & General Dynamics.

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