Hospital ship USNS Mercy captain talks coronavirus outbreak and testing

The Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy arrived in LA in March to help prevent a situation similar to New York City’s, where hospitals were overwhelmed and tent medical facilities sprang up in parks. While COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise in LA, the statistics haven’t been as grim as in New York City. After being in port for more than six weeks, the Mercy has seen close to 80 patients and dealt with its own coronavirus outbreak among crew members.