Six city patients able to get out of bed

Ti Gong

Six patients being treated in Shanghai for coronavirus-related pneumonia have been able to get out of bed and do some activities, doctors said on Thursday. Most of the others are recovering, they said. 

Shanghai has reported 16 coronavirus cases so far, with all having some connection with Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, where 444 coronavirus cases and 17 deaths have been reported.

Fourteen patients are being treated in isolation at Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center in the city's southwest Jinshan District.

Among them, an 88-year-old man is in a critical condition with cardiopulmonary insufficiency, but his condition is improving, Dr Chen Jun, the center’s associate chief physician said.

The patient had multiple diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiac and renal insufficiency as well as chronic bronchitis. He had suffered respiratory and multi-organ failure when sent to the center on Wednesday, Chen said.

All the other patients are in stable or mild conditions. Five still have a fever while another two are coughing.

The building where the patients are being treated has been isolated from other sections with isolation strips and security guards around the clock.

The three-story building has over 70 wards and all essential rescue facilities, medicines and other medical equipment. The negative pressure wards ensure ventilation.

All medical care personnel working in the building are also living in there. Each group will work for two weeks and take another fortnight in isolation for observation before leaving the center.

"We have had full plans and preparations, and our medical teams are also fully experienced," said Lu Hongzhou, Party secretary of the center and an expert in infectious diseases.

Each patient has bespoke treatment plans with fixed doctors and nurses. Apart from treatments based on the symptoms, medical experts are also trying new medicines and treatments, including traditional Chinese medicine, said Lu.

Number of cases may rise

Shanghai is expected to see an increasing number of coronavirus cases, said Zhang Wenhong, leader of Shanghai medical treatment experts' team and director of the infectious disease department at Huasha Hospital.

"It is still unpredictable how many infected cases have entered the city. It takes several days for observation," Zhang told Shanghai Television Station. 

Zhang said the incubation period of the new coronavirus pneumonia ranges from two to 14 days. "It is absolutely infectious during the incubation even if there are no symptoms," he said.

Zhang said children might be as vulnerable as adults to the new coronavirus.

Local doctors and nurses have been canceling their breaks and will working overtime to cope with any increase in the number of patients during the Spring Festival holiday.

Doctors at the pneumology department at Ruijin Hospital have all canceled their holiday plans. Dr Chen Wei said he had canceled a trip to Japan. 

Local medical personnel had volunteered their services despite the risks. Wu Yan, a senior nurse at the clinical center, applied to take care of new coronavirus pneumonia patients.

She has been trained to operate medical equipment that can replace the functions of heart and lungs for patients in a serious condition.

"I'd like to devote my contribution to the fight against the new coronavirus outbreak no matter of payment or death," Wu said in her application.