Shanghai's biggest quarantine site opens as pandemic resurges
The central quarantine site at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in the Pudong New Area opened on Thursday night.
The site, so far the biggest quarantine venue in Shanghai, will have up to 15,000 beds for people with mild COVID-19 symptoms and asymptomatic infections.
Eight medical teams from leading local hospitals like Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai 6th People's Hospital, Shanghai 10th People's Hospital and the Shanghai Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine have arrived at the site.
The N4 and N5 sections opened on Thursday night. The medical teams from the Shanghai 6th and 10th people's hospitals have received the first batch of about 800 patients.
Everything goes smoothly for the first batch of patients.
The central quarantine site on Changxing Island in Chongming District has already started to serve patients.
Three batches of a total of 398 medics from Xinhua Hospital are already on duty.
The medics have turned the Changning People's Hospital into a designated hospital for COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms and help build a temporary quarantine site for asymptomatic patients.
The quarantine site can handle up to 2,000-odd asymptomatic cases.
Xinhua medics say they are offering treatment for patients' physical and psychological issues.
One recent case: A mother and her newborn baby were found to be infected.
The baby was transferred to the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, which has better facilities. The mother followed later after separate medical evaluation.
"The mental care of patients is very important during this special time," said Zhao Liebin, leader of Xinhu's medical team.
Patients check in at the quarantine site on Changxing Island.
Medics from different hospitals are trying their best to improve services at the central quarantine sites.
Doctors from Renji Hospital opened a special outpatient clinic at the H2 section of Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, a central quarantine site serving up to 7,500 patients, on Thursday.
Patients with underlying diseases can go to the medical experts for diagnosis and treatment.
A woman who had received two cancer surgeries before and suffered serious anxiety went to Dr Li He from Renji's traditional Chinese medicine department.
The patient had insomnia and stress after staying in the site and started bleeding in her urine two days ago.
Li prescribed medicine and said he will contact the authorities after evaluation to transfer the patient to a designated hospital for treatment.
Medics said they will offer medical services and remote consultations for patients with underlying diseases and other health demand.
"If their condition become worse, we have plans and a transfer protocol," he said.
Dr Li He talks to a patient at the quarantine site during the special outpatient clinic.
