China At least 500 employees in Wuhan hospitals were infected with coronavirus by mid-January, according to local health sources.

According to these sources, among the infected health workers, there were at least 100 people from Wuhan Harmony Hospital and People's Hospital, along with 50 cases at Wuhan No.1 Hospital and 50 cases at the hospital. South Central.

In addition, about 600 doctors were suspected of being infected with the new strain of corona virus (Covid-19). A source at a major hospital in Wuhan confirmed this information, while two other doctors from two major hospitals in the city gave the same number.

The Chinese government has often reported cases of Covid-19 infections alone, but never gave an overall statistic. Sources said doctors and nurses in Wuhan were asked not to disclose this information.

It is not clear why China did not publish the figures, but officials in the country are working to increase morale for physicians on the front lines against epidemics, especially after the death of ophthalmologists. Li Wenliang, one of the first to warn about the virus but eventually became infected and died.

Wu Changping, a respiratory doctor from the People's Hospital, Wuhan University, had a fever on January 14 and was later confirmed to be infected with Covid-19. He said he was not sure when he was infected and treating many patients every day made him very likely to be infected.

"This virus is very contagious. We do not yet have a full understanding of it," said Dr. Vu. Vu was taken to the hospital on January 17 along with three other colleagues from the same department and is still being treated.

At least 3 Wuhan medical personnel have died as a result of Covid-19, including Li Wenliang. Mai Trong Minh, the deputy director of the hospital where Dr. Ly worked, was also determined to be infected. It is not clear whether any of the patients treated by these health workers were infected.

Ian Lipkin, a professor of epidemiology at Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in the US, thinks that the health risks of Covid-19 infection among health workers are high, even when wearing protective gear.

An unnamed doctor at a large hospital in Wuhan said health workers there faced severe shortage of manpower when many of their colleagues fell ill.

"According to preliminary estimates, 100 nurses and doctors can care for 100 normal beds and 16 active beds. But if these 100 people get sick, they not only 'occupy' 100 beds, but also there are no more carers for 100 patient beds. That means the hospital will lose its capacity for 200 beds, "the doctor said, adding that is why the government has to constantly deploy medical staff. Reinforced to Wuhan.

Countries with patients with Covid-19 infection. Click on the image to see it in full.

China has mobilized 10,000 intensive medical staff to treat patients in Wuhan, the site of the epicenter and the epicenter of the Covid-19 epidemic, and many medical equipment for major hospitals in the city. city.

The Covid-19 epidemic, which began in Wuhan in December 2019, has now spread to 31 Chinese provinces and 26 countries and territories, killing at least 1,115 people and the number of cases being 45,153.