The death toll attributed to coronavirus almost doubled with 41 persons having lost their lives, as on Saturday, against 26 fatalities reported by Friday. More than 1,300 infections have been reported worldwide, with the latest cases confirmed in France, Australia and Nepal.
In order to curb the virus from spreading, restrictions on transportation and public assembly, have been put in place in as many as 10 cities in China. With the disease spreading at a rapid pace and the city in a complete shutdown, hospitals and pharmacies in Wuhan (the epicenter of the viral outbreak), are struggling to cope up with the mounting cases.
Hospitals struggle in 'Wuhan': the city at the centre of coronavirus epidemic
The first coronavirus case was reported in Wuhan on December 31, after which the disease has spread both domestically and abroad, at an unprecedented pace. With almost all the cases linked to Wuhan, the city's hospitals are working hard to fight against the deadly disease.
One of the fatalities reported on Saturday, is of a doctor, Liang Wudong (62), who "had been at the front line of the coronavirus outbreak battle in Wuhan", China's CGTN reported.
Numerous videos and images have emerged, of Wuhan hospitals completely packed with patients. Many patients were turned away as well, as the hospitals are inundated with patients.
With a transportation shutdown, the supplies are running out. At least 8 hospitals have made pleas for donations of masks, goggles, gowns and other protective medical gear, Guardian reported. Also, the administrators at Wuhan University People's hospital set up a group chat on the popular WeChat messaging app to coordinate donations.
The overworked medics, who are working 24/7 to cure patients are finding it difficult to cope. Footage has emerged of dead patients lying on hospital floors, reflecting the public hygiene crisis underway in Wuhan. With hospitals running out of beds, the government has set a target to build a 1,000-bed hospital in just 10-days.
With cases mounting rapidly, 450 military medical personnel and eight medical teams were sent to Wuhan, on Friday.
At such a time, the Chinese government is being accused of understating the number of cases, with scary videos emerging of people falling down unconscious at various sites. Though the disease has spread to as far as Europe, North America and Australia, the World Health Organization (WHO) has not declared it a public health emergency of international concern. Though it has called the disease a public health emergency in China.
