Daily US Times: More than 1,700 medical staff infected with Coronavirus, new crisis for Chinese government
Chinese government confirmed more than 1,700 medical staff infected with coronavirus amid concerns about shortages of protective equipment.
Authorities said at least 6 medical staff have died so far since the outbreak started.
Among them, a week ago, the death of Doctor Li Wenliang, who tried to warn authorities early on about the virus, provoked a burst of public anger and grief.
More than 1,300 people are now known to have died the virus, which got its name by World Health Organization (WHO) as COVID-19.
The latest figures increased the number to 1381 as 122 new deaths reported yesterday.
China’s National Health Commission said the total number of infections has jumped to 63,922 cases.
Last two days, the outbreak has seen a sharp rise both is deaths and number of infected people, but WHO said there was no major shift in the virus’s pattern of mortality or severity, despite a spike in cases in Hubei, the epicentre of the disease, on Tuesday.
Most of the deaths and infected people are reported in Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak.
Chinese government took many steps to curb the out break. Since the outbreak, Hubei is literally in lockdown.
Meanwhile, the cruise ship docked in the shore of Japan tested positive 44 more cases, making the total to 218.
What’s the situation of medical staff?
Vice minister of China’s National Health Commission, Zeng Yixin, confirmed 1,102 medical workers had been infected in Wuhan, where the outbreak began, and another 400 in other parts of Hubei province.
The minister said that the infected numbers among the medical workers are increasing.
Reuters quoted him of saying “The duties of medical workers at the front are indeed extremely heavy; their working and resting circumstances are limited, the psychological pressures are great, and the risk of infection is high.”
Local authorities have been struggling to provide protective equipment such as respiratory masks, goggles and protective suits in hospitals in the area.
One doctor told AFP news agency that he along with his 16 fellow doctors were showing possible symptoms of the virus. Another staff said she and more than 100 other staff at her hospital had been quarantined.