GWANGJU CITY HELPS COVID-19 PATIENTS IN DAEGU

[Anchor Lead]

Seven coronavirus patients from Daegu who had been waiting to be hospitalized have been transferred to a hospital in Gwangju for the first time, after the government of Gwangju City offered to help alleviate the shortage of hospital beds.

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​​An ambulance enters a hospital in Gwangju. The medical staff hand over protective suits for the transported patients. Moments later, the patients put on the suits and head to the hospital. They are coronavirus patients from Daegu who had been waiting anxiously to be hospitalized. They were brought to Gwangju three days after the city government offered to provide medical facilities for patients from Daegu on March 1. Two families of seven patients were transferred to Gwangju this time. One of them has a fever and cough. All the others are in good condition. The hospital plans to evaluate the severity of their COVID-19 symptoms.

[Soundbite] LEE SHIN-SEOK(DIRECTOR, CHONNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY BITGOEUL HOSPITAL) : "We will run blood and X-ray tests, and CT scans if needed."

Gwangju citizens welcomed the patients from Daegu with banners and wishes of a fast recovery.

[Soundbite] HYUNG SUNG-JIN(GWANGJU CITIZEN) : "I hope they will become cured in Gwangju and return to Daegu healthy."

The Gwangju City government plans to bring as many as 60 infected patients from Daegu unless the number of local patients surges. The hospital is taking multiple preventive measures such as using negative pressure stretchers to block the spread of the virus during patient transport and treatment.