Medical staff serving quarantined at converted World Expo site
A medical team from Renji Hospital leaves to serve at the quarantine site.
A total of 246 medical staff from Renji Hospital have been dispatched to serve at the colossal convention center used for the Shanghai World Expo 2010 after it was converted into a new central quarantine site for mild symptoms and asymptomatic infections.
The team consists of 34 doctors, 196 nurses, two infection-control experts, two pharmacists and 12 administrative and support staff. Doctors are from the departments of respiratory disease, kidney disease, blood disease, digestive system, geriatrics and traditional Chinese medicine, the hospital said.
"We have made proper preparation while receiving the order this week and arranged profound medical supply and manpower," said Zheng Junhua, leader of the medical team.
"On the first day of arrival on Friday, over 500 patients are expected to be recruited at night. We had already made a proper pre-plan. Many members of the medical team had served in Wuhan, the then epicenter of coronavirus."
Renji's team is responsible for the h2 area of the site, which can host over 2,500 person times of COVID-19 patients and asymptomatic infections. To alleviate people's anxiety, the hospital has prepared psychologists.
Dr Zha Qiongfang, who was among the first batch who went to Wuhan, said patients during this resurgence are different from those in Wuhan, as most cases are mild or asymptomatic.
"But we still need to closely follow each patient's condition to prevent it developing into a serious case," she said. "Those with underlying diseases will also be our major focus."
The site at Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center covers a total construction area of 152,000 square meters. It served as the "Expo theme pavilion" during the Shanghai World Expo and is one of the five key permanent structures left over from the expo, along with the China Art Museum, Expo Center, Expo Axis and Mercedes-Benz Arena.
Medical staff from Renji Hospital prepare bed at the quarantine site upon arrival on Friday.
Medical staff receive patients.
