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British Army Turns Cumbria Sports Center Into Makeshift Coronavirus Hospital

The British Army set up a temporary hospital for coronavirus patients in the Penrith Leisure Centre, a sports center in the northwestern English county of Cumbria, on April 1 as the number of cases in the UK rose to 33,718 people.

The UK’s Ministry of Defence said five sites in Cumbria would be converted into “temporary patient recovery centres.” They would “provide a half-way house” for patients not yet well enough to return home. Once complete, the facilities would free up 500 beds “at front line hospitals in the region.”

Assistant Chief Constable Andrew Slattery said: “The additional beds will be available if our hospitals reach full capacity and beds will be allocated by our NHS colleagues as required. They will not be for general access by the public.” Credit: UK Ministry of Defence via Storyful