News

Bahrain Builds Temporary ICU in Seven Days

by BTM

Wed, 15 April 2020

A 130-bed intensive care unit (ICU) for patients suffering Covid-19 has been set up in a car park at the Bahrain Defence Force Hospital in Riffa. International news agency Reuters reports that there are plans for up to four more field ICUs across the country.

Each bed is equipped with a ventilator and authorities said they plan to raise capacity to 500 beds once other units are operational.

With the Kingdom experiencing a significant rise in numbers over recent days, thanks, in part, to random large-scale testing, the unit was inaugurated on Tuesday and Sheikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa, the Royal Medical Services Commander, told reporters: "The new ICU is a precautionary step in case there are any developments.

Bahrain Builds Temporary ICU in Seven Days"We were able in record time, in seven days, to establish this unit with 130 beds... working day and night.

"This is the first time that such an equipped (temporary) unit has been established in the Gulf."

The ICU was set up by the Defence Ministry in cooperation with other government bodies, on the third floor of the military hospital which had served as a parking lot.

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