Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Round-The-Clock Effort, China Succeeds In Building Hospital In 10 Days. But Will It Be Enough Amid Outbreak?
The New York Times: China Pledged To Build A New Hospital In 10 Days. It’s Close.
People desperate for treatment started descending on a new hospital that was mostly built in just 10 days to help cope with the outbreak of the new coronavirus in the central city of Wuhan on Monday. Construction workers in hard hats, medical staff in hazmat suits, and men and women in army fatigues scrambled around the dusty site on Monday afternoon, dodging moving trucks, excavators and cranes. (Qin, 2/3)
The Washington Post: Hospital In Wuhan, China, Built In Days Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Dubbed the “super-fast hospital” by the state-owned China Daily newspaper, construction of the 1,000-bed Huoshenshan facility began formally on Jan. 25. Officials hope the facility will relieve pressure on Wuhan’s overcrowded medical institutions, where some seeking care have been turned away because of a shortage of beds and basic supplies. It comes as the World Health Organization has cautioned against panic about the outbreak and praised China’s efforts to contain it, even as fears of transmission have continued to grow. (Brice-Saddler, 2/3)
The Wall Street Journal: How China Built A Coronavirus Hospital In 10 Days
The Huoshenshan hospital spans about eight acres and includes an intensive care unit, patient wards, consultation rooms, medical equipment rooms and more. Separate quarantine wards were built to minimize cross-infection risks, according to state broadcaster China Central Television. The hospital is a two-story building consisting of prefabricated units, according to China State Construction Engineering Corp.’s website. Videos and images of construction at the Huoshenshan site began appearing online on Jan. 24, showing dozens of excavators, bulldozers and other earthmoving equipment rushing to level the ground. The construction companies then added several layers of matting and poured concrete. The hospital units are on pillars to keep them off the ground. The units are made of flat boards that hook together. (Wang, Zhu and Umlauf, 2/3)
