Virus patients in Wuhan hospital generally optimistic: Doctors

Novel coronavirus patients in the largest cabin hospital in Wuhan are generally in an optimistic mood, doctors working there said.

"Before I came here I thought I would face patients with heavy psychological pressure, who are desperate and would almost collapse," An Shuoyan, a doctor from the Cardiovascular Department at China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing, said.

"But things proved to be different. Most of them are in good spirits, and they have been cooperating well with the treatment, and appreciatingus very much."

An is one of the doctors sentby the hospital in Beijing to aid patients with the highly infectious disease at a temporarily-built hospital in Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei province, where the outbreak is most serious.

The hospital was one of the three earliest cabin hospitals to bebuiltin Wuhan to ease the shortage of beds with an increasing number of novel coronavirus pneumonia patients in the city. With a designed capacity of 2,000 beds, it is also the largest. Construction started on Feb 3, and four days later patients began to be received.It is used specially to receive patients with milder conditions.

An, who has been working since the hospital opened, said there is no single drug to cure the disease, so she and her colleagues treat patients by relieving their symptoms. They will transfer patients to designated hospitals for treatment if their conditions worsen, she said.

In addition to thiscabin hospital, more cabin hospitals are being built in Wuhan, which are expected to accommodate more than 10,000 patients with the disease, according to Wuhan government.

To accommodate all patients and suspected cases, such as those who had close contact with patients, in the city to contain the epidemic, authorities in Wuhan aretrying other means, including converting hotels and college dorms into temporary facilities for quarantine and treatment.

Zhang Zhen, another doctor sent by China-Japan Friendship Hospital to aid Wuhan, said the cabin hospital at Wuhan Parlor is almost full, with patients being released daily after being cured.He and his colleagues have been working in four shifts every day, each shift lasting for six hours.

"Most of the patients are in a positive mood," he said. "Many of them joined a book club organized by the hospital, and share the books they read. Sometimes during discussions some of them became emotional and will shout, 'Stay strong Wuhan, stay strong China'."

"It is amazing to see everybody around us, including patients and staff in our hotel, be so optimistic," Zhang said. "It has made our work less hard, and even bolstered us doctors and nurses."

An said although work at the temporary hospital is hard, she has been deeply touched by support from people in Wuhan.

"Many local medical staff and residents donated heaters and clothes and shoes to us, fearing us unable to cope the cold weather," she said.

What moved her most was she and her colleagues received a letter expressing gratitudefrom a patient in the cabin hospital on Feb 14, Valentine's Day.

"Thank you, angels from across the country for helping fight the infectious disease in Wuhan," the letter said. "I expressly salute all of you on behalf of the patients."