First batch of Shanghai medics returns home
Wuhan police officer salute the first batch of returning medical staff with Shanghai East Hospital on Wednesday.
The first batch of Shanghai-based medical professionals came home from Wuhan, the heart of the novel coronavirus outbreak in China, on Wednesday, receiving warm salutes along the way.
Shanghai has sent a total of 1,649 medical staff in nine groups to assist Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province since late January. They've been fighting against COVID-19 along with medics from across the nation in Wuhan.
Eight members of the medical team from Huashan Hospital arrived in Shanghai at 10am in five mobile rescue vehicles. They left Wuhan on Tuesday afternoon.
Over a dozen local traffic police stood on both sides of the road entry into Jiading District and saluted the team members.
Another eight medical rescue vehicles and two logistic trucks with 18 staff from Shanghai East Hospital set off from Wuhan on Wednesday morning. They are expected to arrive in Shanghai in the evening.
The remaining 35 members of the hospital, along with a dozen medics from Huashan Hospital, take a charter flight with China Eastern Airlines back home in the evening.
Another 26 medical professionals with Huashan Hospital have voluntarily stayed in Wuhan to continue fighting the epidemic.
All returning team members will be quarantined for 14 days for medical observation, while the vehicles will also be sealed for two weeks. The vehicles were disinfected with chlorine before leaving Wuhan.
Summoned by the National Health Commission, the national emergency rescue team of Shanghai East Hospital rushed to Wuhan on February 4. They brought 25 tents, which can house 300 outpatients per day, 40 isolation units and an ICU for eight.
The medical team treated 533 coronavirus patients. No patient died or relapsed and no member of the team became infected.
Eight medical rescue vehicles and two logistic trunks with 18 staff with Shanghai East Hospital set off from Wuhan on Wednesday morning.
The team established a medium-size temporary hospital within three hours at a cultural complex known as the Wuhan Living Room. They treated patients with mild symptoms at the makeshift hospital for 44 days.
"The tent hospital showcased its flexibility, mobility and multifunctionality during the mission," said Lei Han, leader of the hospital's medical team.
Apart from treating some 100 patients per day, each doctor was asked to take charge of 10 patients. They communicated with their main patients around the clock via WeChat.
To cope with a labor shortage, some senior nurses were appointed as assistant doctors to help visit the wards and communicate between doctors and patients, Lei said.
Feng Qiang, a clinical psychologist with the hospital, also carried out psychological counseling among patients.
Life was not easy in the makeshift hospital. A heavy snowfall hit Wuhan on February 15, and members of the medical team removed the snows overnight to prevent the tents from collapsing.
Huashan Hospital treated 1,124 patients in the Wuchang temporary hospital established in Hongshan Stadium. A total of 833 patients have been discharged while the rest have been transferred to other hospitals.
The medical team also managed to ensure that no patient died or relapsed and no medical staff got infected, according to the hospital.
Five mobile rescue vehicles with Huashan Hospital drive back to Shanghai from Wuhan.
