SHORTAGE IN SEOUL’S HOSPITAL BEDS

입력 2020.12.09 (15:17) 수정 2020.12.09 (16:46)

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[Anchor Lead]

Only six hospital beds for critically ill COVID-19 patients are left in Seoul, which is seeing a surge in coronavirus cases. The Seoul City Government plans to open new quarantine centers and set up makeshift container hospitals. However, some are calling for another alternative, as Seoul City’s proposition could only raise the risk of infections.

[Pkg]

Makeshift container hospitals have been set up on an empty lot in Seoul Medical Center. This was done to secure more hospital beds for COVID-19 patients. Patients with mild symptoms will receive treatment here. There are some 40 makeshift hospital beds. Three patients can be treated in each container. But some express concerns over high risk of cross-contamination in such facilities due to shared toilets. Moreover, the containers are located at the entrance of a child daycare center without any additional fences installed. Authorities plan to set up negative pressure rooms here as well, but their efficacy remains dubious as they don’t have dual doors.

[Soundbite] (NURSE AT SEOUL MEDICAL CENTER(VOICE ALTERED)) : "There are no fences here whatsoever. The risk of infection is very high."

There are calls to set up large makeshift hospitals in gymnasiums or convention centers, or establish public hospitals dedicated to treating COVID-19 patients.

[Soundbite] KIM WOO-JOO(PROFESSOR, KOREA UNIVERSITY GURO HOSPITAL) : "Gymnasiums, exhibition centers or hotels should be converted to hospitals with partitions installed so that medical workers can treat patients efficiently."

Currently, 56 of the 62 ICU beds in Seoul are occupied. Only six remain available. The number of available quarantine centers: 157. With hospital capacity surpassing 82 percent, a growing number of infected people can’t be hospitalized on the day they are diagnosed. Although all patients can still receive hospital beds, the hospitals are already stretched to the limit.

[Soundbite] PARK YOO-MI(SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT) : "Patients who cannot be admitted to hospitals right away are allocated to quarantine centers or hospitals the day after they are diagnosed with the coronavirus. So far, not a single patient was turned down with the coronavirus. So far, not a single patient was turned down."

The Seoul City Government plans to set up 150 more hospital beds on the empty lots of public medical centers by next week.

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  • SHORTAGE IN SEOUL’S HOSPITAL BEDS
    • 입력 2020-12-09 15:17:58
    • 수정2020-12-09 16:46:20
    News Today
[Anchor Lead]

Only six hospital beds for critically ill COVID-19 patients are left in Seoul, which is seeing a surge in coronavirus cases. The Seoul City Government plans to open new quarantine centers and set up makeshift container hospitals. However, some are calling for another alternative, as Seoul City’s proposition could only raise the risk of infections.

[Pkg]

Makeshift container hospitals have been set up on an empty lot in Seoul Medical Center. This was done to secure more hospital beds for COVID-19 patients. Patients with mild symptoms will receive treatment here. There are some 40 makeshift hospital beds. Three patients can be treated in each container. But some express concerns over high risk of cross-contamination in such facilities due to shared toilets. Moreover, the containers are located at the entrance of a child daycare center without any additional fences installed. Authorities plan to set up negative pressure rooms here as well, but their efficacy remains dubious as they don’t have dual doors.

[Soundbite] (NURSE AT SEOUL MEDICAL CENTER(VOICE ALTERED)) : "There are no fences here whatsoever. The risk of infection is very high."

There are calls to set up large makeshift hospitals in gymnasiums or convention centers, or establish public hospitals dedicated to treating COVID-19 patients.

[Soundbite] KIM WOO-JOO(PROFESSOR, KOREA UNIVERSITY GURO HOSPITAL) : "Gymnasiums, exhibition centers or hotels should be converted to hospitals with partitions installed so that medical workers can treat patients efficiently."

Currently, 56 of the 62 ICU beds in Seoul are occupied. Only six remain available. The number of available quarantine centers: 157. With hospital capacity surpassing 82 percent, a growing number of infected people can’t be hospitalized on the day they are diagnosed. Although all patients can still receive hospital beds, the hospitals are already stretched to the limit.

[Soundbite] PARK YOO-MI(SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT) : "Patients who cannot be admitted to hospitals right away are allocated to quarantine centers or hospitals the day after they are diagnosed with the coronavirus. So far, not a single patient was turned down with the coronavirus. So far, not a single patient was turned down."

The Seoul City Government plans to set up 150 more hospital beds on the empty lots of public medical centers by next week.

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