USNS Comfort will deploy in the next five to nine days as additional crew members and medical staff are summoned to man the ship. The crew is expected to grow from 18 to 60 members and medical staff could increase from 65 members to 1,200.
The decision to intensify relief efforts in Puerto Rico by deploying the naval ship comes after the Trump Administration received criticism that its response to the hurricane damage in Puerto Rico was lackluster.
Hurricane Maria devastated medical infrastructure on the island. As of Tuesday morning, 58 of 69 hospitals in Puerto Rico had no power and fuel.
The U.S. Navy has already sent the USS Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group to conduct rescue operations in the region.
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