The 5G technology is playing an increasingly significant role in China’s recent battle against the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) epidemic.

Beijing-based Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital has started to carry out its first 5G teleconsultation services with Huoshenshan Hospital, one of the two recently built makeshift hospitals in Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak in central China’s Hubei province on Feb. 9, 2020.(Photo/Xinhua)

A 5G network is now covering the whole area of Leishenshan Hospital and Huoshenshan Hospital, two recently built makeshift hospitals in Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus outbreak in central China’s Hubei province.

Supported by the network, the Beijing-based Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital launched a 5G teleconsultation system with Huoshenshan Hospital to support the epidemic battle. The system enables doctors in Beijing to establish real-time communications with those in Wuhan.

Similarly, Leishenshan Hospital also deploys the 5G network for telemedicine, telesurgery and data transmission to better diagnose and treat patients infected with the novel coronavirus.

On Feb. 8, Wuhan Union Hospital West Campus and Beijing Chaoyang Hospital started to carry out 5G teleconsultation services, by which two experts analyzed the conditions of two patients.

Tong Chaohui, vice president of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, said 5G teleconsultation shows our emphasis on critical patients and will improve the diagnoses and treatment procedures.

The application of 5G technology can pool doctors across the whole country together to combat the virus, said Gao Yong, vice president of Wuhan Union Hospital West Campus. Reports confirm that other hospitals in Wuhan have also launched 5G teleconsultation services.

Meanwhile, 5G-powered robots have been put into use in hospitals and health service centers in Hubei, Shanghai and east China’s Shandong province with the expectation that they will perform tasks including disinfection and drug delivery, reducing cross-infection risks.

The 5G body temperature screening system is also being put into use at public places such as hospitals, railway stations and subways to help fight the epidemic. The system has the capacity to check people’s body temperature and issue warnings automatically.