Fort Bliss in Texas declared a public health emergency last week after COVID-19 cases in the area spiked.
The announcement comes in the weeks after leadership at Fort Bliss imposed new restrictions in response to the sharp increase in cases. At the end of October, the installation implemented a curfew and limitations on visiting restaurants, bars and stores. Those restrictions are still in place in addition to those restrictions imposed by the public health emergency.
"This declaration allows the installation to better posture the William Beaumont Army Medical Center to care for Department of Defense and Veterans Administration beneficiaries," a statement from the installation reads. "This measure is prudent given the significant increase in COVID-19 cases in the El Paso area."
El Paso has been described as one of the hardest-hit communities across the country in the latest surge of COVID-19 cases. On Tuesday, County Judge Ricardo Samaniego said the county requested four mobile morgues in addition to the six already there.
"This declaration is in line with the State of Texas and the Texas Department of Public Health’s declaration of a public health disaster due to the immediate threat of COVID-19," the Fort Bliss statement continued.
In addition to the public health emergency, the Department of Defense also deployed three U.S. Air Force Medical Specialty Teams to the area at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The roughly 60 medical providers will support three El Paso city hospitals: the University Medical Center of El Paso, the Hospitals of Providence Transmountain Campus and the Las Palmas Del Sol Medical Center.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to assist those in need as part of the whole-of-nation response to the COVID-19 pandemic and in support of FEMA,” Lt. Gen. Laura J. Richardson, ARNORTH and JFLCC commander said inn a statement. “Alongside our local, state and federal partners, we will work to mitigate this virus and care for El Pasoans.”
As COVID-19 rates across the country have spiked so have those within the DoD community. As of Monday, the DoD had reported close to 92,000 COVID-19 cases.
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