FARMINGTON, N.M. (KRQE) – A team of medical personnel from the U.S. Navy will be on hand to support the COVID-fighting efforts at Farmington’s hospital. The 20-person team which includes doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists will be deployed to the San Juan Regional Medical Center.

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“As COVID-19 hospitalization rates continue to shift across the country, decreasing in certain areas while increasing in others, we unfortunately find new communities and healthcare facilities overburdened and in need of federal, military assistance,” said Lt. Gen. John R. Evans, Jr. in a news release, ARNORTH, joint force land component command of USNORTHCOM, commander. “The Department of Defense was again called upon by FEMA to support New Mexico and the state of Michigan as they, along with the military and the entire nation, continue to fight this pandemic.”

The hospital went into crisis standards of care earlier this month because of a spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations. San Juan Regional is one of three hospitals to receive assistance from military hospitals and FEMA. The others are in Michigan; eight teams have already been deployed to five other states including Colorado.