A view of Xiaotangshan Hospital in Beijing, on Jan 30, 2020. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/chinadaily.com.cn]
Beijing will rebuild Xiaotangshan Hospital to hold novel coronavirus patients, a big move by the government to combat the new virus, said senior official on Thursday morning.
Lei Haichao, director of the Beijing Municipal Health Commission, said that the government has started reconstruction of Beijing Xiaotangshan Hospital, which was used solely for SARS patients in 2003.
"It will be prepared with better conditions for use, considering the development of the new virus," he said.
Construction workers and medics are seen at Beijing Xiaotangshan Hospital, on Jan 30, 2020. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/chinadaily.com.cn]
As the world's largest medical complex devoted only to SARS patients, it was built in only six days and seven nights starting on April 23, 2003.
A maximum of 7,000 construction workers worked at the site on an area covering 25,000 square meters in Changping, on the northern outskirts of Beijing.
Aerial photo shows China's polar icebreaker Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, sailing in the southern Atlantic ocean westerlies on Jan. 27, 2020. China's 36th Antarctic expedition team put two buoys into the ocean to acquire scientific data at 55.26 degrees south latitude and 17.56 east longitude. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)
A member of China's 36th Antarctic expedition team works to put a buoy into the ocean aboard China's polar icebreaker Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, on Jan. 27, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)
Members of China's 36th Antarctic expedition team work to put a buoy into the ocean aboard China's polar icebreaker Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, on Jan. 27, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)
Photo taken on Jan. 27, 2020 from China's polar icebreaker Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, shows iceberg in the southern Atlantic ocean westerlies. China's 36th Antarctic expedition team put two buoys into the ocean to acquire scientific data at 55.26 degrees south latitude and 17.56 east longitude. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)
Zhang Peng (C) works at the security checkpoint of Shijiazhuang Railway Station in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 21, 2020.(Xinhua/Xing Guangli)
Li Qi (R) shifts duty with her colleague at a railway station in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 21, 2020.
The Spring Festival is the biggest occasion for family reunion across China, but for the family of 6-year-old Zhang Anzhe, reunion opportunities are rare. Zhang's father Zhang Peng is a policeman working at the Shijiazhuang Railway Station police office while his mother Li Qi is a chief conductor on trains between Shijiazhuang and Wuhan. Both parents were so busy during the Spring Festival travel rush period. They have to make use of every bit of time to meet. On Tuesday, they found a chance as Zhang and his father went to the rail platform to meet the mother, right before departure of the train. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the acquaintance of Zhang Anzhe's parents. The father gave a gift to the mother and the family had a precious three-minute reunion. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)
Workers helps load aid materials onto a cargo plane of China Postal Airlines at the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan, Hubei province, on Jan 29, 2020. [Photos by Yuan Zheng/for chinadaily.com.cn]
Workers are told to take protective measures such as wearing face masks at the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan, Hubei province, on Jan 29, 2020. [Photo by Yuan Zheng/for chinadaily.com.cn]
An array of aircraft are parked near the boarding bridges at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, on Jan 28, 2020. Between Jan 23 and Jan 29, a total of 155 aircraft took off from the airport, sending 4,895 medical personnel and 268.2 tons of aid materials to regions in Hubei province to support the nation's battle against the novel coronavirus. [Photo by Yuan Zheng/for chinadaily.com.cn]
Photo taken on Jan. 30, 2020 shows people from China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Co., Ltd. working at the construction site of Leishenshan (Thunder God Mountain) Hospital in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province.
Wuhan is building two hospitals to treat pneumonia patients infected with the novel coronavirus. As of Thursday noon, about 40 percent of the Leishenshan Hospital has been completed, and it is expected to be put into use on Feb. 5. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)
Aerial photo taken on Jan. 30, 2020 shows the construction site of Huoshenshan (Fire God Mountain) Hospital in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. More than 4,000 workers and around 1,000 vehicles and large pieces of machinery have been toiling away at the hospital site day and night. The main pipeline of the drainage system in the hospital site is largely complete, and the hospital is expected to be put into use on Feb. 3. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)
A female artist of Shanghai Chinese Orchestra performs "Landscape around the Lake" via Chinese flute during the Chinese New Year celebration concert held in Chicago Symphony Center in Chicago, the United States, on Jan. 26, 2020.
Dragon dancers of Zhejiang Shaoju Opera Theatre perform "Grand Bustling Chinese New Year" during the Chinese New Year celebration concert held in Chicago Symphony Center in Chicago, the United States, on Jan. 26, 2020.
An actress of Zhejiang Shaoju Opera Theatre performs during the Chinese New Year celebration concert held in Chicago Symphony Center in Chicago, the United States, on Jan. 26, 2020.
Actors of of Shanghai Chinese Orchestra wave to audience after performances during the Chinese New Year celebration concert held in Chicago Symphony Center in Chicago, the United States, on Jan. 26, 2020.
The sound of traditional Chinese musical instruments and Shaoju Opera filled the Symphony Center in downtown Chicago Sunday afternoon, as the Chinese New Year concert entertained an audience of more than 1,000. [Photo/Xinhua]
