No deaths, nosocomial infections reported in Wuhan's 16 temporary hospitals

During the operation period of 16 temporary hospitals in Wuhan, the Chinese city hit hardest by the COVID-19 epidemic, no deaths or nosocomial infections were reported in the facilities, a Chinese health official said Thursday.

During the lockdown of Wuhan, a total of 16 public venues such as exhibition centers and gymnasiums were converted into temporary hospitals to treat patients with mild symptoms and isolate the source of infections amid strained medical resources.

From Feb. 5, when the first temporary hospital in Wuhan started to accept patients, to March 10, the day all the makeshift hospitals were closed, over 12,000 patients were admitted, said Song Shuli, a spokesperson for the National Health Commission, at a press conference in Beijing.

These hospitals have played an important and indispensable role in the prevention and control of the disease, Song said.

Over 8,000 medical workers from across the country had worked in the makeshift hospitals, battling the epidemic along with local medical personnel, according to Song.