- Title: Wuhan makeshift COVID-19 hospital invites media for tour
- Date: 11th April 2020
- Summary: WUHAN, CHINA (APRIL 11, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF LEISHENSHAN MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL WARD BUILDINGS STAFF STANDING AT GATE TO MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL PEOPLE HOLDING MINI CHINESE FLAGS WALKING MEDIA ENTERING HOSPITAL GROUNDS VARIOUS OF STAFF MEMBER CLEANING FLOOR (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) HEAD NURSE AT LEISHENSHAN MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL, FENG BILONG, SAYING: "This passage was for delivering items. For example meals for patients or medical staff were delivered here. When someone entered they would put the item in the middle of the room, then when we would enter (to pick up the item) the door inside would be closed. The two doors would not be opened at the same time. Patients would come in through a special passage. It's completely separate from our passage." MEDIA IN CORRIDOR TAKING PHOTOS COVID-19-THEMED ARTWORK ON WALL MEDIA WALKING/COVID-19-THEMED ART (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) HEAD NURSE AT LEISHENSHAN MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL, FENG BILONG, SAYING: "These displays are perhaps a form of emotional expression, or rather positive communication, and then there is also an element of releasing pressure or stress. I think this is it. Later after some were put up and each team saw them they all wanted to demonstrate their (artistic) talents so as to express their belief, determination and courage in fighting this disease." WRITING ON WALL IN (ENGLISH) SAYING: "PREMIER LEAGUE", WRITING ON WALL IN (CHINESE) LISTING SEVERAL PREMIER LEAGUE TEAMS WORKERS STANDING LOCKER ROOM DOOR DOOR, HAND SANITISER FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 OUTBREAK PROPAGANDA POSTER, PEOPLE WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) HEAD NURSE AT LEISHENSHAN MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL, FENG BILONG, SAYING: "All of these buildings had patients staying in them. Over here is section A, over here is B and C. Patients came in here, starting from February 8. That's the place we just went to section A16. These were all wards, those two rows over there were also wards." LEISHENSHAN MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL BUILDINGS MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, BOXES VARIOUS OF MAN WALKING IN LARGE ROOM WITH LOTS OF BOXES (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) HEAD NURSE AT LEISHENSHAN MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL, FENG BILONG, SPEAKING ABOUT HER FELLOW MEDICAL WORKERS, SAYING: "Also they were terrified when they first got here. They were quite afraid. To begin with there was a lot of negative news flying around. Also we needed to teach them about how to use protection. Plus when they got here they would find it was very different to a normal hospital. So people like us who have real, practical experience in this were very important to them." WUHAN LEISHENSHAN HOSPITAL FLAGS FLYING, PEOPLE STANDING PICTURE OF MEDICAL WORKER WEARING MASK PEOPLE STANDING AND SITTING DURING NEWS CONFERENCE OUTSIDE HOSPITAL BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) PRESIDENT OF LEISHENSHAN HOSPITAL IN WUHAN, WANG XINGHUAN, SAYING: "For example the most obvious example is that many sufferers in Europe and North America have lost their sense of taste and smell. We did not see this much at all (here in Wuhan). Also some symptoms from patients there are different from those in China. When we discuss these matters with them, even though we share some of our experiences, I still have the feeling that this virus is changing. It is possible, in the event that there is a second wave (of cases) in China, we will need to hear their experiences. So during these discussions taking place across borders, we have deeply felt that this kind of unity and cooperation can help during this outbreak." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) DOCTOR AND VICE-PRESIDENT WUHAN ZHONGNAN HOSPITAL, ZHAO YAN, SAYING: "Whichever the country, we hope that a vaccine can be found soon. If people could gain herd immunity through a vaccine that would be ideal. If so-called herd immunity is achieved through simply letting this spread out of control, as a doctor, I believe this would be both inhumane and inappropriate. Many many people would die. People should not go with such ideas. Countries should not use such methods. That would be too cruel." MAN SITTING NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) DOCTOR AND VICE-PRESIDENT WUHAN ZHONGNAN HOSPITAL, ZHAO YAN, SAYING: "This outbreak could kill more than the total number killed in the first and second world wars combined. This is extremely dangerous. If, during this situation there are different political forces and people who are just thinking about their own political needs and neglecting ordinary people, this would be very unwise. Even if everyone joins together to face this virus, it's still not certain we could defeat it. But if we don't join together then the situation will get more and more serious. FLAG PEOPLE WALKING ON ROAD
- Embargoed: 25th April 2020 09:31
- Keywords: COVID-19 Chinese nurse Leishenshan hospital Wuhan coronavirus doctors equipment makeshift hospital nurses patients ward
- Location: WUHAN, CHINA
- City: WUHAN, CHINA
- Country: China
- Reuters ID: LVA001C91P8HZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hospital officials in Wuhan on Saturday (April 11) gave media a tour of a hospital which was built in about a week in response to the coronavirus outbreak in China after medical facilities in the city started running short of beds.
The hospital was built on a parking lot and has more than 1,500 beds.
Tough curbs imposed in China since January have reined in infections sharply since the height of the pandemic in February. Mainland China's tally of infections now stands at 81,953. The death toll rose by three on Friday (April 10) to 3,339.
Chinese authorities say they fear there may be a second wave on infections triggered by arrivals from overseas or asymptomatic patients.
"We can't say that there is no such potential risk," said Wang Xinghuan, president of Wuhan's Leishenshan hospital, during the tour organized by Wuhan officials.
Doctors in China have seen some differences in virus behavior from that experienced in Europe and the United States, said Zhao Yan, a doctor at Wuhan's Zhongnan Hospital.
"The most obvious one is that in Europe and the United States quite a few people lost their sense of taste and smell, (but) we saw very few such cases," Zhao told reporters.
The National Health Commission said 46 new cases were reported on Friday (April 10), including 42 from abroad, up from 42 a day earlier, as Hubei province, whose capital is Wuhan, reported no new cases for a seventh successive day.
More than 1.6 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 102,151 have died, according to a Reuters tally as of 0200GMT Saturday.
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