The recent federal COVID-19 pandemic relief package included $64 million for rural hospitals in New York state's North Country region, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik in a statement said Thursday.

The money is being sent to hospitals where resources are already stretched thin prior to the spread of the coronavirus, making any outbreak in the region concerning for local public health officials.

The money will be sent to facilities that provide rural acute care, critical access hospitals, rural health clinics and community health centers.

“This round of funding for our North Country rural hospitals is desperately needed during this financially challenging time,” Stefanik said. “I worked hard to ensure funding was included in the CARES Act for rural hospitals in underserved regions, and I will continue to work with the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure each North Country hospital is provided with adequate funding to make up for the loss of revenues experienced as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.”