As it looks likely that coronavirus could spread more widely in the U.S., hospitals handling the first U.S. patients offered insights and advice to NPR.
Four people who were infected on the Diamond Princess cruise ship are now being treated at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Wash.
In an effort to contain the spread, patients at Sacred Heart Medical Center are in special isolation rooms designed to prevent the virus from escaping.
"All the air is sanitized before being exhausted out," says Compton-Phillips, "so that germs cannot go from being in the room, through a vent system into the rest of the hospital, or out into the air of the community."
The Growing Crisis in Rural Healthcare Facilities
A Cleaning Alternative: The Benefits of Steam Technology
Novant Health Gets Approval for New Hospital and Freestanding Emergency Department
Preparing Healthcare Facilities for Severe Thunderstorms
NLCS Strengthens Safety and Compliance with Comprehensive Electrical Program