Huoshenshan Hospital now treating novel coronavirus patients

By Tuesday night, 45 patients have been transferred to Huoshenshan Hospital, one of two hospitals in Wuhan, Hubei province, built to contain patients of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Xu Dixiong, deputy head of the hospital, said in an interview with CCTV.

Built in 10 days, the hospital has a capacity of 1,000 beds and is staffed with 1,400 medical staff, all of whom are from the armed forces.

In normal wards of the hospital, the bed to nurse ratio is 1:0.6 and the bed to doctor radio is 1:0.4, there are more medical workers in the intensive care units, Xu said.

The first 45 patients were admitted with mild symptoms because the hospital is built in a short time and there is still some equipment to be installed and calibrated, he said.

"In about two or three days, we will finish all the adjustment of the medical equipment," Xu said, adding that, "Moderately and seriously ill patients will be gradually transferred to the hospital when conditions permit."

He expected that in three to five days, the number of patients admitted will reach the hospital's capacity.

The goals of the hospital are to realize the highest cure rate, the lowest death rate, zero infection among medical staff, and zero complaints from patients, Xu said.