Designated Hospitals in Beijing Meeting SARS Treatment Demands

Home>>China

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, May 09, 2003

Designated Hospitals in Beijing Meeting SARS Treatment Demands

Sixteen designated severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) hospitals are now meeting the demands for treatment in Beijing, a health official said Thursday.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Sixteen designated severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) hospitals are now meeting the demands for treatment in Beijing, a health official said Thursday.

Han Demin, deputy director of the Beijing Health Administration,said the shortage of hospital beds has been greatly alleviated in the city, with 2,300 ward beds already in use, and an additional 1,200 beds will be put into use in the near future.

At the same time, the number of new cases is on the decline, which also helps ease the pressure of the shortage of medical resources, he said.

There are more than 30 hospitals in Beijing each with over 1,000 ward beds. The government has promised that more hospitals could be designated to handle SARS patients if it is necessary.

As at 10 a.m. Thursday, Beijing reported 2,136 clinically confirmed SARS patients, most of whom have been transferred to designated SARS hospitals.

"This will play a major role in curbing the spread of SARS, reducing cross infection and the mortality rate of SARS patients, and alleviating the pressure on district and county hospitals," Han said.

"This is also a turning point for Beijing to win the battle against SARS," he added.

As for the relatively low hospital discharge rate, Han said it is related mainly to the relatively long treatment period, which is averaged at three weeks currently.

Although the first SARS case in Beijing was reported in early March, most of the patients were hospitalized after April 20, he said, adding that experts have predicted the hospital discharge rate would grow by a fairly big margin starting May 10.

Of the 2,136 SARS patients in Beijing, only 152 have been discharged upon recovery.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Medical Staff's May Day Holiday in Quarantine Wards

Beijing Hospital Provides Radios to Ease SARS Patients' Burden

Foreign Journalists Visit China's Largest SARS Hospital

>> Full Coverage

CCTV English Channel Landing in United States ( 29 Messages)

Wu Yi: China Hopes for Further Cooperation with US on SARS ( 2 Messages)

Chinese Premier Calls for Patriotism in SARS Fight ( 2 Messages)

Iraq War Provides Opportunity for US to Reshape Mideast ( 3 Messages)