Temporary hospital at China-Russia border ready for treating COVID-19 cases

The temporary hospital in the city of Suifenhe, at the China-Russia border in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, has been ready for use as the number of imported COVID-19 cases keeps rising.

Acting mayor Wang Yongping said the hospital, converted from an office building, will provide 600 beds for asymptomatic cases and patients with mild symptoms.

Installation of the back-up power was completed Monday, marking the completion of the conversion, according to the local power supply company.

The Suifenhe port, a major land checkpoint at the border, has continued suspension of its passenger inspection channel, easing the pressure for quarantine and treatment for the moment, according to Wang.

"The temporary hospital is a back-up plan and, if needed, it will immediately go into operation," he said.

Some 400 medics from medical facilities of the Mudanjiang City have been sent to Suifenhe, which is under the jurisdiction of Mudanjiang, preparing for carrying out treatment in the hospital.

Suifenhe Monday put a mobile laboratory into use, which greatly improves the city's nucleic acid testing capability. So far, the city's daily testing capability has exceeded 1,000.

The city reported a total of 322 imported confirmed COVID-19 cases, with another 38 asymptomatic cases reported by Monday. No local cases resulting from imported virus carriers have been reported.