First batch of 'family' patients at expo center hospital discharged

Ti Gong

Thirty-nine child patients and their parents, totaling some 70 persons, left the family section of the makeshift hospital at the Shanghai New International Expo Center on Tuesday.

It was the first group of patients from the family section released since the makeshift hospital began operations on March 31.

The makeshift facility can accommodate up to 15,000 patients with mild COVID-19 symptoms and asymptomatic infections.

The family section, which is under the supervision of the Shanghai Children's Medical Center, is mainly for children and their parents. Currently, the 880 beds in the section are fully occupied.

In the family section, parents, whether COVID-19 positive or otherwise, can stay with their infected children.

Since the section was opened on April 4, it has received 347 child patients aged between 18 months and 17 years.

A mother, who accompanied her son, said the medics were very nice and checked the children's condition frequently. For minors taking online classes, medics even offered academic guidance.

"We follow a rule of 'coming together and leaving together.' The whole family is discharged after each member tests negative," said Dr Yin Yong, head of the center's medical team's expert group.

"For families with multiple members, we also respect their wish by releasing some of them, such as discharging a child who tests negative along with at least one negative adult."

Hospital officials said that new patients will arrive later in the day after medics finish disinfection, adding that more patients from the family section will be discharged on Wednesday.