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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin's governor has announced a field hospital at the state fairgrounds will open next week as a surge in COVID-19 cases threatens to overwhelm hospitals.

According to the state Department of Health Services, only 16% of the state's 11,452 hospital beds are available as of Tuesday afternoon. The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients has grown to 853, including 216 in intensive care. COVID-19 test results on an additional 262 in-patients are pending.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built a 530-bed field hospital on the state fairgrounds in West Allis in April. The department says it will open Oct. 14.

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