Governor Ibaneis Rocha of Brasília announced the construction of three new field hospitals in the Brazilian capital. Mr. Rocha expects works to begin on March 26. When completed, it will provide citizens with an extra 300 beds to treat coronavirus patients.
Brasília — which was built from scratch in the 1950s — is undergoing the worst health crisis in its history. Intensive care units are working beyond capacity and the waiting list for treatment is 400 people long, meaning that the three new field hospitals won’t be enough to care for everyone on the queue.
Local health officials have confirmed 333,000 infections, amounting to over 10 percent of the capital’s population. However, the city is a hub which attracts patients from neighboring states. Over 5,500 coronavirus patients have died in Brasília.
At the beginning of the pandemic, the city inaugurated a field hospital in the Mané Garrincha National Stadium. It remained open between May and October, with 200 hospital beds, before it was shut down.
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