Hospitals rise to challenge of respiratory illnesses

However, the current situation calls for extraordinary measures.

"One doctor would have to handle as many as 180 patients during a single night shift, because so many patients are arriving in the evening and after midnight. The workload is exhausting, so we decided to arrange two doctors for the shift," she said.

"From 8 am to 9 pm, we have also ensured that five doctors are on duty to see outpatients or emergency cases, up from two in normal times."

Han said the daily number of total outpatient and emergency visits at the facility began rising in the middle of last month, peaked last week and has recently stabilized.

"Compared to the levels seen in 2017 and 2018 before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the daily volume has doubled, even tripled," she said.