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BOSTON — Two more field hospitals set up to deal with a surge of coronavirus patients are opening in Massachusetts on Monday.
The hospitals at Joint Base Cape Cod in Bourne and at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell’s Recreation Center can each handle about 100 patients who are not in critical condition but are not well enough to be sent home.
[Our COVID-19 tracker contains the most recent information on Maine cases by county]
Cape Cod Healthcare is managing and staffing the Cape Cod hospital, while Lowell General Hospital is managing the UMass site.
Field hospitals have also opened at the DCU Center in Worcester and the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. A fifth is expected to open at UMass Dartmouth in about a week.
Massachusetts is in the middle of a surge of patients, Gov. Charlie Baker has said.
The state now has more than 38,000 cases and has reported more than 1,700 deaths, including 146 on Sunday, according to the state Public Health Department.
Unemployment benefits
Massachusetts residents not eligible for regular unemployment benefits can now apply online for the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program.
The federal program provides up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits for people unable to work because of a coronavirus-related reason but are not eligible for regular or extended unemployment benefits, including the self-employed, independent contractors, gig workers, and those with limited work history.
Approved applicants will initially receive the minimum weekly benefit amount, plus an additional $600. Benefits may not be more than the state’s maximum weekly benefit rate for regular unemployment, which is $823 in Massachusetts.