Beijing's SARS treatment hospital clears all COVID-19 cases

As the last two patients with the novel coronavirus disease were discharged Tuesday morning, Xiaotangshan Hospital, which was previously used to quarantine SARS patients in Beijing, has cleared all existing COVID-19 cases.

The two patients, an 18-year-old woman and a 50-year-old man, were hospitalized on March 19 and 28, respectively. They tested negative for coronavirus in two successive tests and met the criteria to be released.

With all patients cleared, Xiaotangshan Hospital is scheduled to cease operation on Wednesday, according to Lyv Yiping, deputy director of the Beijing Hospitals Authority.

The hospital, located in the city's northern suburb, was renovated and put into operation on March 16 for the screening and treatment of imported mild and common confirmed COVID-19 cases, suspected cases and those who need to be tested.

Over the past 44 days, the hospital has screened a total of 2,175 people, and 54 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported.

In the treatment and control of SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which spread rapidly on the Chinese mainland in 2003, Beijing built Xiaotangshan Hospital, a temporary medical center, in just a week.