California will take back the emergency coronavirus beds it sent to Fresno. Here’s why

Fresno’s makeshift coronavirus hospital at the convention center will go into a “warm shutdown,” state officials announced Wednesday.

The 250-bed site, which was set up by state and county officials to treat a potential surge in COVID-19 cases at regional hospitals, had not yet been used. Anticipating no future use for it, state officials said they would pick up their remaining supplies in the coming weeks.

“Because of the great work of Californians across the state we have flattened the curve. This is why the stay-at-home order was issued, to save lives and to give the health care delivery system time to prepare,” Dr. Mark Ghaly, Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, said in a news release.

Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig said local hospitals are not at capacity and did not expect to reach capacity. The county, however, still plans to backfill the beds at the convention center should the need arise.

Fresno had been sitting on over 300 beds to deal with an emergency like this one, officials have said.

Of the 250 hospital beds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers delivered in March, they picked up 125 beds to take to San Diego in April. Community Regional Medical Center had picked up another 50 beds to prepare for a possible surge in coronavirus patients. All of those beds were backfilled at the convention center with county supplies.

Magsig said the state might redeploy the medical supplies to deal with a different crisis.

“It’s my understanding, now that we’re moving into the wildfire season, some of those resources may be needed elsewhere,” he said.