- Title: Serbian army converts exhibition hall into coronavirus field hospital
- Date: 24th March 2020
- Summary: BELGRADE, SERBIA (MARCH 24, 2020) (REUTERS) ROWS OF BEDS IN LARGEST EXHIBITION AREA OF BELGRADE FAIR SOLDIERS UNLOADING DISASSEMBLED BEDS FROM TRUCK SOLDIERS UNLOADING TRUCK SOLDIERS PREPARING BED FOR ASSEMBLY IN DESIGNATED AREAS SOLDIERS IN A CHAIN PASSING PARTS OF BEDS FOR ASSEMBLING VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS ASSEMBLING BEDS, EACH WITHIN AREA MARKED ON FLOOR SOLDIERS UNLOADING PILLOWS AND BLANKETS FROM TRUCK VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS PASSING PILLOWS (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) SERBIAN DEFENCE MINISTER, ALEKSANDAR VULIN, SAYING: "In line with the orders we received, the Serbian Army is executing all its tasks. Today we are in the hall of the Belgrade Fair, where we prepared around 3,000 beds for those with light symptoms who will, in case the coronavirus spreads, be treated here." SOLDIERS PASSING MATTRESS PARTS UPSTAIRS VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS PASSING PILLOWS AND BLANKETS TO GALLERY VARIOUS OF VULIN IN CHAIN, PASSING MATTRESSES (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) SERBIAN DEFENCE MINISTER, ALEKSANDAR VULIN, SAYING: "Chinese doctors will come here, to say how it looks, what needs to be changed and done, and we, the Serbian Army, will be ready to accommodate every need and secure everything necessary to treat people here. What we are doing here, we are ready to do in any other city in Serbia, according to the needs and as the crisis task force of Serbia orders." SOLDIERS PASSING MATTRESSES SOLDIERS PASSING MATTRESSES AND PLACING BLANKETS ON BEDS VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS PASSING MATTRESSES SOLDIERS WALKING BETWEEN MATTRESSES ON FLOOR EXHIBITION AREA FLOOR, BEDS AND MATTRESSES LINED ON FLOOR
- Embargoed: 7th April 2020 13:01
- Keywords: Aleksandar Vulin COVID-19 Serbian army Serbian defence minister coronavirus outbreak coronavirus patients field hospital
- Location: BELGRADE, SERBIA
- City: BELGRADE, SERBIA
- Country: Serbia
- Topics: Health/Medicine,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA001C6EVEBD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Serbia's army on Tuesday (March 24) began assembling thousands of military beds on the floor of the largest exhibition area at the Belgrade Fair to create a makeshift field hospital quarantine for patients with coronavirus.
At this time of year, the area would normally be lined with cars and hundreds of thousands of visitors for a two-week international car and motorcycles fair, now cancelled.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday (March 23) the country would launch a wide-scale testing campaign for people who have been in touch with an infected person.
All who test positive, including those without or with mild symptoms, will be transferred to special facilities, such as the new field hospital.
Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin said the hospital would accommodate around 3,000 patients at a time and the government was prepared to set up similar facilities in other cities.
Serbia's coronavirus task force designed the plan in coordination with Chinese medical experts who flew in over the weekend with an aid package sent by Beijing.
As of Monday evening, Serbia has so far reported 249 confirmed cases of coronavirus and three deaths.
(Production: Fedja Grulovic, Boki Babic, Lewis Macdonald) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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