Will Ellwood City Medical Center reopen to help with coronavirus response? Announcement expected Wednesday

ELLWOOD CITY, Pa. — UPDATE 1:36 p.m.: Channel 11′s Amy Marcinkiewicz confirmed there will be an announcement on Wednesday on if the Ellwood City Medical Center will reopen as a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local leaders and the Army Corps of Engineers will announce the information later today.

Previous Coverage:

It’s only been a few months since the Ellwood City Medical Center closed down, but now local leaders are seeing if anything can be done to help respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

Community members believe that even temporary help at the hospital would go a long way toward protecting area residents. That includes getting inside to see what is there in terms of gloves, masks and ventilators.

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“The number one issue is equipment. Alternatively there may be a need for a facility down the road but right now it’s about the equipment,” State Rep. Aaron Bernstein said.

The facility’s parking lot is being looked at as service as a testing site. There are also ideas of using the building as a triage center for infected people. City and county officials say they do not own the property, however, so their hands are tied in terms of getting inside.

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