The U.S. military is planning to deploy its two hospital ships to aid in the country’s coronavirus emergency, the Pentagon said Wednesday, but both vessels first must finish undergoing maintenance and staff preparation. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Tuesday that the two vessels—the U.S. Naval Ship Mercy, based on the West Coast, and the USNS Comfort, based on the East Coast—were being readied for possible deployments.

Source: Wall Street Journal March 18, 2020 21:33 UTC