Oregon National Guard deployed to aid hospitals overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients

Around 400 National Guard members have been deployed in Oregon to help with a COVID-19 surge overwhelming hospitals across the state.

Hundreds of National Guard members are on the ground in Oregon to help with a COVID-19 surge that's overwhelming hospitals across the state. Oregon has 1,000 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, according to state data, the highest ever in the pandemic. Gov. Kate Brown called the news a "terrifying milestone." The state seen cases skyrocket over the past six weeks, with nearly 3,000 reported Tuesday, according to the Oregon Health Authority's COVID-19 dashboard. The state has 45 available adult ICU beds out of 667, roughly 7%, as of Tuesday. The deployed Oregon National Guard members said they're helping with nonclinical work and COVID-19 testing in 20 hospitals.