Montgomery County is opening a new 40-bed surge response unit at Suburban Community Hospital in East Norriton to handle any potential overflow in COVID-19 cases, writes Justin Heinze for the Patch.

The mobile hospital is the result of a Montgomery County, Suburban Community Hospital, and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Task Force partnership.

Currently, all hospitals in Montgomery County and Philadelphia, two area counties worst affected by the virus, have beds available.

However, at least in Montgomery County, where there were 278 ventilators and 213 ICU beds still available as of Friday afternoon, things are starting to tighten, according to Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh.

“We are greatly relieved to have this surge capacity now in place,” said Arkoosh. “We are heading into our surge period now in southeastern Pennsylvania. We are hopeful we won’t need it, but it’s very reassuring to know they are there should we need them.”

The hospital will be able to handle both coronavirus and non-coronavirus patients. It will be staffed by volunteer doctors and nurses and directed by Montgomery County Department of Public Safety Director Thomas M. Sullivan.

Read more about the new surge response unit at the Patch by clicking here.