US President Donald Trump is speaking at the farewell ceremony for the giant US Navy hospital ship Comfort, which is leaving for coronavirus-hit New York.
"The USNS COMFORT will sail well ahead of its originally scheduled departure time to answer America’s call to battle against the global pandemic here at home", the White House said on Thursday.
The ship was initially slated for deployment in about three weeks.
Another US Navy hospital ship, Mercy, is sailing from San Diego to Los Angeles on a similar mission.
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