Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott hosted a press conference nearly a week ago, and during his introduction he advised city residents that he and City Manager Bob Herron had been in contact with MPT Corp., the owner of the properties that once housed services offered by the Ohio Valley Medical Center.
The purpose of the inquiry, of course, involves the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and the potential need for a quarantined property for treatment, and Elliott informed the public that the landlord had communicated a willingness to negotiate a sales agreement.
The former medical buildings, however, once stocked with respirators and ventilators, are mostly empty now, according to Wheeling Fire Chief Larry Helms. The Robert C. Byrd Juvenile Center, however, is not included in the mentioned purchase proposal, but it’s the only place that could be utilized for such a need as equipment and hospital beds remain inside, he said.
“As far as what is inside the OVMC part of the former hospital, there’s not a lot left. It appears that they have salvaged most of the medical equipment that was inside those buildings,” Helms said. “There is some office equipment that has been left behind, but apparently they loaded up the medical equipment, including the beds and things like ventilators and what we would need most right now if we see a spike in this area.
“As far as the former hospital area being a viable space for what we may need, the OVMC properties wouldn’t be an option, I would think, but it is my understanding that the former Byrd Juvenile facility might be an option,” the fire chief explained. “It’s a newer facility, and from what I understand at this point is that it is far more equipped with what would be needed to treat a COVID-19 patients.”
An Alecto Gutting
There were moving trucks. A lot of them. It was tough to notice what was being loaded up, though, during drive-bys, but apparently, Helm conveyed, it included pretty much everything.
“When I walked through the OVMC properties so we could identify possible issues with them as vacant buildings now, all I noticed was sporadic office furniture here and there, and some boxes with old papers,” Helms said. “The Byrd Center, though, doesn’t have any issues at all, and the supplies that would be needed could be moved in quickly if necessary. And the nice thing about it is that it is a secure facility. It’s not connected to anything else.
“That would make it make easier to care for the patients suffering from this disease,” he said. “One thing we do know about this disease is that it’s all about exposure.”
City Offices Closed, First Responders on Duty
Mayor Elliott announced earlier today during a Facebook Live broadcast that two individuals who do not live in Ohio County have tested positive, one at Wheeling Hospital, and one at the testing location at Wheeling Park. The mayor also said all city offices located in the Ohio County Courthouse will be closed beginning Monday morning.
Firefighters and EMTs, however, have responded to the same amount of calls as usual this week, and there have been a few involving possible COVID-19 cases. The first responders, though, have started wearing medical masks and have been educated how to remain safe when responding.
They cannot test for the coronavirus upon arrival but can transport individuals to testing locations, and the number in need is expected to climb. That’s why, Helms said, talks continue about gaining access the Byrd facility.
“Those conversations are taking place now,” the fire chief reported. “We’re looking at all options, and I know the Ohio County Health Department and people in the medical field are currently following up on those potentials. They have to look at all options.
“We just started testing in this area heavily, so I am sure we will see the number of confirmed cases increase,” Helms added. “It’s about the numbers here just like it is everywhere, and we will see more cases. But the good news is that I think people here are now taking this more seriously. Maybe in the beginning they thought it was a bunch of B.S., but they can’t think that now with what has happened this week.”
