Built in 10 days, China's virus hospital takes 1st patients

first patients arrived Monday at a specialized hospital built in just 10 days as part of China's intensive efforts to fight a new virus.

Huoshenshan Hospital and a second facility with 1,500 beds that's due to open this week were built by construction crews who are working around clock in Wuhan, city in central China where outbreak was first detected in December. Most of city's 11 million people are barred from leaving area.

Wuhan treatment centers mark second time Chinese leers have responded to a new disease by building specialized hospitals almost overnight. As severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, spre in 2003, a facility in Beijing for patients with that viral disease was constructed in a week.

first patients arrived at Huoshenshan Hospital at 10 a.m. on Monday, according to state media. reports gave details of patients' identities or conditions.

ruling Communist Party’s military wing, People’s Liberation Army, sent 1,400 doctors, nurses and or personnel to staff Wuhan hospital, official Xinhua News ncy said. government said earlier some have experience fighting SARS and or outbreaks.

Authorities have cut most ro, rail and air access to Wuhan and surrounding cities, isolating some 50 million people, in efforts to contain viral outbreak that has sickened more than 17,000 and killed more than 360 people.

Huoshenshan Hospital was built by a 7,000-member crew of carpenters, plumbers, electricians and or specialists, according to Xinhua News ncy. Photos in state media showed workers in winter clothing, safety helmets and surgical-style masks worn by millions of Chinese in an attempt to avoid contracting virus.

About half of two-story, 60,000-square-meter (600,000-square-foot) building is isolation wards, according to government newspaper Yangtze Daily. It has 30 intensive care units.

Doctors can talk with outside experts over a video system that links m to Beijing’s PLA General Hospital, according to Yangtze Daily. It said system was installed in less than 12 hours by a 20-member “commando team” from Wuhan Telecom Ltd.

building has specialized ventilation systems and double-sided cabinets that connect patient rooms to hallways and allow hospital staff to deliver supplies without entering rooms.

hospital received a donation of “medical robots” from a Chinese company for use in delivering medicines and carrying test samples, according to Shanghai newspaper Paper.

In or cities, government has designated hospitals to handle cases of new virus.

In Beijing, Xiaotangshan Hospital built in 2003 for SARS is being revated by construction workers. government has yet to say wher it might be used for patients with new disease.