Chinese City Is Building 1,000-Bed Hospital In Six Days For Coronavirus Patients
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The Chinese city of Wuhan - described as 'ground zero' of the coronavirus outbreak - is rushing to build a new hospital in six days in a bid to treat patients. So far the disease has killed at least 26 people and infected more than 870.
A number of diggers and bulldozers were pictured on a building site and employees will be working around the clock to get the 1,000-bed space built in six days - and it will be put to use on 3 February.
The state-run news site, People's Daily reported that the hospital will be made from prefabricated buildings - making it quicker and cheaper to build - and it will sit on the outskirts of the city on a 25,000- square-meter (270,000-square-foot) lot.
It's being built to deal with the number of people that are attempting to seek medical attention and having to wait hours in line to be screened for the disease.
According to authorities, the construction efforts are 'to address the insufficiency of existing medical resources', including a lack of protective gear.
Wuhan's facility will mirror Beijing's strategy, after they built a hospital in seven days to control the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) back in 2003. This ended up treating one-seventh of the country's patients.
Shocking footage circulated earlier today showing people in China falling down in the streets and in hospitals, as authorities attempt to control the outbreak.
One clip shows a man lying on the ground while medics attempt to help him. Other clips show packed hospitals - as hundreds of people turn up to be tested.
Associated Press reported that hospitals in Wuhan were grappling with a flood of patients and a lack of supplies. Some users on the Weibo social media site said their family members had sought diagnoses but were turned away at hospitals that were at capacity.
Authorities in Wuhan have suspended all public transport in and out of the city to try and stop the virus from spreading, while New Year celebrations planned for this weekend have been scrapped.
Meanwhile, in the UK Public Health England announced that 14 people in the UK have been tested for the virus, with five of them testing negative and the remaining nine still awaiting results - but the risk of the coronavirus to the UK population is still 'low'.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said: "The chief medical officer has revised the risk to the UK population from 'very low' to 'low' and has concluded that while there is an increased likelihood that cases may arise in this country, we are well prepared and well equipped to deal with them.
"The UK is one of the first countries to have developed a world-leading test for the new coronavirus. The NHS is ready to respond appropriately to any cases that emerge."
Featured Image Credit: PA
Topics: News, coronavirus, China
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