ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

First Photographs Show Inside Of Wuhan Emergency Hospital

First Photographs Show Inside Of Wuhan Emergency Hospital

The centre will open tomorrow, 10 days after work began on building it

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

The first photographs have been shared showing inside the emergency hospital built to treat patients infected with the new strain of coronavirus.

Work on the makeshift centre in Huoshenshan, China, which includes 1,000 beds, was completed today, just 10 days after it began, state media has reported. It will open for patients tomorrow (3 February).

More than 4,000 workers and 1,000 vehicles have been working around the clock to build the Huoshenshan Hospital - nicknamed 'Fire God Mountain' - which is in the city that is thought to be the virus' ground zero.

According to reports, the country's army has taken control of the hospital, with around 1,400 military medics brought in from the People's Liberation Army.

PA

Authorities also brought in specialist engineers from across China to help speed up the building process.

The prefabricated hospital's design has reportedly been based on that of the one in Beijing that was constructed in 2003 to fight the outbreak of the SARS virus.

The 269,000-square-foot building is one of two new hospitals that has been constructed in Wuhan in the wake of the World Health Organisation's declaration of a global emergency.

Another medical centre was opened last week - just 48 hours after work was started.

PA

Workers and volunteers in Huanggang City managed to put the work in to get the doors open on the Dabie Mountain Regional Medical Centre, which will provide treatment for around 1,000 patients, in just 48 hours.

This facility, one of four emergency treatment bases being established by the authorities, was converted from an empty building.

The Huanggang City authorities said that the work that was completed so quickly was thanks to the combined efforts of construction staff, paramilitary police officers and utility companies.

The world has been put on high alert as the number of those infected by the disease passes 14,000, with more than 300 people having died.

In China alone, the death toll has risen to at least 204 people, with more than 3,000 people having been infected.

PA

Meanwhile, a scientist has claimed she is only sleeping for two hours a night as she tries to create a vaccine for the coronavirus.

Kate Broderick, from Scotland, and her team at pharmaceutical firm Inovio, based in San Diego, are working around the clock to stop the spread of the deadly illness.

Speaking to The Times, the 42-year-old says she feels a 'personal responsibility' to do her part and help prevent further deaths.

She said: 'I've spent my entire life working towards making a difference in an outbreak setting like this and I will do whatever it takes.

"I personally am averaging about two hours' sleep a night at the moment."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: World News, UK News, Interesting, Coronavirus, China, Health