Carrying weight of virus work

Dutiful

Tongji Hospital has received the greatest number of severe cases in Wuhan. More than 2,000 patients in severe condition have been treated at the hospital.

In the battle against the novel coronavirus, CT scans play a crucial role in determining if a patient is infected. During the peak of the outbreak, the hospital's radiology department scanned about 1,000 patients a day, nearly 20 times the amount it normally deals with.

Hu Junwu, head of the CT technicians' department said, "Usually, we get about 200 images for each patient, which means more than 200,000 images need to be viewed by doctors on a busy day."

About 100 technicians are divided into four groups that rotate shifts to ensure the department can provide services 24 hours a day and patients can get their reports within two hours. "Most of the technicians stayed at the hospital during the day and seldom went back home. One hasn't been back home for more than 50 days," Hu said.

Tongji Hospital has conducted more than 30,000 CT scans on patients suspected of having the virus. Of those, 600 were done in inpatient wards or the intensive care unit using portable devices.

"The average age of technicians in our department is only 30. But in facing the challenge of the disease, all the members of our the team have had a strong fighting spirit. Some have canceled their vacations, while others even delayed their wedding," Hu said.

"We all know that no one can remain distant from a contagious disease. As medical workers, we should always keep our duty in mind."