Patients started to arrive on Sunday at a hospital that is being set up in the IFEMA exhibition centre in Madrid to help with the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
It is being set up by the Comunidad de Madrid regional government together with Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit (UME) and will eventually have 5,500 hospital beds as well as an intensive care unit.
Hotels in the Madrid region currently being equipped with medical facilities will be maintained for patients with milder conditions.
The Madrid region is the worst affected area across Spain for Coronavirus, with Sunday’s figures showing a total of 9,702 confirmed cases (out of a total 28,572) and 1,021 deaths. Many of those who have died have been elderly residents in care homes.
In total, 106 people have arrived during Sunday at the IFEMA hospital, from other medical centres across the region. On Sunday afternoon it was expected that a further 45 patients would arrive, up to 150 in total. There are currently 200 hospital beds prepared.
This IFEMA centre was announced on Friday after the president of the Comunidad de Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, and Spain’s Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles, agreed on new measures to deal with the spread of Coronavirus. The Military Emergencies Unit (UME) is helping with the logistical installation of the hospital, and also providing disinfection services at other residences.
On Sunday the health authorities in Madrid tweeted an image of the IFEMA hospital being set up, with a message asking for more resources, and for any qualified doctors, nurses or trained healthcare workers to send their CVs to: ifema.covid@salud.madrid.org
Además de los equipos de profesionales del SERMAS que trabajarán en IFEMA, necesitamos más recursos. Si eres médico, enfermera o TCAEs puedes enviar tu CV
?ifema.covid@salud.madrid.org#CoronavirusMadrid #CoronavirusEspaña #coronavirusEspana #CoronavirusESP pic.twitter.com/xeoiVFpdcR
— SaludMadrid (@SaludMadrid) March 22, 2020
