(ANSA-AFP) - WARSAW, 19 OTT - Poland's national stadium will
double as a field hospital for Warsaw, a senior government
official said on Monday, as a spike in coronavirus cases has
strained health care facilities to the breaking point. The
decision came days after the government asked Poles to "stay
home" and "work remotely" if possible as it announced a raft of
restrictions to stem infections. Built for the UEFA Euro 2012
football championships, the 60,000-seat stadium has conference
rooms under its stands able to accomodate patients. "About 500
beds will be installed in the stadium to receive people
requiring hospitalisation," government spokesman Piotr Muller
told the commercial Polsatnews channel. The new facility, that
will have around 50 intensive care beds, will be ready to accept
patients by the end of the week. Field hospitals could be
created in each of Poland's 16 administrative regions if need
be, Muller said. Media reports suggest that hospitals in areas
with the largest spike in cases have run out of beds and are
refusing to accept new patients arriving by ambulance.
(ANSA-AFP).
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