As the U.S. has confirmed over 100,000 COVID-19 cases by March 27, and the number of COVID-19 affected countries and regions has reached 196, many countries are concerned about where to allocate large groups of infected patients and give them in-time treatment. 

Wuhan, the epicenter of COVID-19 in China, transformed more than ten public buildings and venues into temporary hospitals back in February to receive patients with mild symptoms of COVID-19. Many countries have followed the same steps and are building temporary hospitals, to avoid further spreading of the coronavirus.

The Republic of Serbia

Following the advice from the Chinese medial team, the Serbian government has transformed the Belgrade Exhibition Hall into a temporary hospital able to take 3,000 patients with mild symptoms of COVID-19.

Britain

On March 24, the British government announced it would transform an exhibition hall, ExCel London, into a temporary hospital with 4,000 beds. They renamed it as "Nightingale hospital."

Italy

The first temporary hospital made of tents was officially put into use on March 21. It was built in 36 hours, made of 15 tents, offering 68 beds and eight ICU wards. Two more similar temporary hospitals are also in the assembly process.

Meanwhile, a large passenger ship docked in Genoa was also transformed into a temporary hospital, offering 400 beds to COVID-19 patients.

Austria

The Vienna city government announced that the Vienna Exhibition Hall was being turned into a temporary hospital on March 14. According to local media, the hospital has 880-bed capacity.

The U.S.

The construction of the first temporary hospital in the U.S. state of New York was completed on Friday, according to the state's governor Andrew Cuomo.

The hospital, converted from Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, which usually hosts events, is now home to 1,000 hospital beds that will be used to treat patients infected with coronavirus. It will start receiving patients next Monday.

In China, temporary hospitals effectively helped contain the spreading of coronavirus since mild infected cases were roomed together when wards were at full capacity in central hospitals.

Patients don't have to be quarantined at home, so as to avoid infecting their families or people living around them. And in the temporary hospital they are under close medical watch.

Quarantine life in the temporary hospital was not an easy task to cope with, but Chinese patients found ways to entertained themselves, organizing group dancing, learning Tai Chi, and even held birthday parties for patients and medical workers.

Many netizens in China sent best wishes to people in these countries on social media platform WeChat. "Hope one day I can see temporary hospitals over the world all close down!" said @Xuanxuan. 

"Temporary hospitals have been tested as an effectively way to contain the spreading of virus. The Chinese experience will help the world, said @Tianhui Vivi.

Until now, Russia, Spain, Brazil and many other countries have also built temporary hospitals to fight the outbreak of COVID-19.