Dubai World Trade Centre converted into a field hospital

The Dubai World Trade Centre has reportedly been converted into a field hospital with a capacity to treat 3,000 Covid-19 patients, reported local media on Wednesday.

Of the 3,000 beds, there are reportedly 800 set aside for intensive care patients, said the centre’s director of engineering Ali Abdulqader.

A number of healthcare workers have been brought in to deal with a possible surge in the number of Covid-19 admissions.

On April 9, Humaid Al Qatami, director general of Dubai Health Authority said that the emirate was in the process of constructing two field hospitals to cope with any increase in the number of Covid-19 infections.

He indicated that Dubai already had 4,000-5,000 hospital beds available to coronavirus patients, and that these field hospitals would allow it to cope with thousands of more patients who may require hospitalisation.

He added that some quarantine patients were being kept in five-star hotels and said that these hotels could also possibly be converted into hospitals, if need be.

The UAE reported 412 new Covid-19 cases and three deaths on Tuesday, following rigorous testing over the past few days, the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced.

Read: UAE reports 412 new Covid-19 cases, curve could ‘flatten’ in 3-4 weeks

The total number of infections in the country has reached 4,933.

The ministry has conducted over 32,000 tests among citizens and residents over the past few days.

With increased testing and strict adherence to social distance measures, the UAE could flatten the curve in three to four weeks, a senior doctor has said.