UPDATE | Covelli Centre to become Mercy Health Covelli Field Hospital

YOUNGSTOWN — In the next two weeks, the Covelli Centre in downtown Youngstown will be transformed into the Mercy Health Covelli Field Hospital.

The new facility will contain about 250 beds for COVID-19 patients who are recovering and no longer require acute care at one of the area's hospitals.

Although some local officials, like U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, lobbied for Northside Regional Medical Center to be reopened for this purpose, several aspects of the Covelli Centre made it an ideal location for hospital overflow, Mahoning Matters has been told.

The Covelli Centre its more fire protected, and there are more accessible exits, said Dr. John Luellen, CEO of Mercy Health Youngstown, on a call this afternoon with Ryan. The Covelli Centre also has off-loading docks for equipment and free and clear parking.

The decision was made by Ohio National Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers, Luellen said.

Gov. Mike DeWine made the announcement earlier today in the state's coronavirus briefing.

Emergency medical agencies, state agencies and the Ohio National Guard had surveyed the state to determine facilities that could be used to increase hospital capacity. Ultimately, six convention facilities across the state were chosen.

"Our goal is to double the capacity of our hospitals," said DeWine.

This story was originally published April 6, 2020 at 2:27 PM with the headline "UPDATE | Covelli Centre to become Mercy Health Covelli Field Hospital."