Brazil makeshift hospital for COVID 19 Amazon patients

A field hospital in Manaus city in Brazil received the first patients with COVID-19 on Tuesday.The hospital is expected to have a total of 150 beds in the next days, to deal with the crisis in the health system that the local government recognized is near collapsing.

The health unit was built by the City Hall and will only treat people infected with the new coronavirus, Manaus is the only city in the state of Amazonas with Intensive Care Units.

The lack of hospitals, intensive care units and medical gear concerned the authorities of Amazonas state that has 1400 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 90 victims.

The capital, Manaus, has 90 per cent of the confirmed cases.

According to the Census 2010, the city has about 2 million residents.

The mortality rate in the city is high, with 20 people in every 1 million inhabitants dying.

The restrictive measures are not being followed by all the population, and some complained about the crowds seen in markets and in the streets.

According to the Doctors Union of Amazonas state, 3 nurses died, and more than 50 health workers were infected by the new coronavirus.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

(Image Credit: AP)