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Israel’s Sheba Medical Center opened a new underground facility this week to treat coronavirus patients in critical condition as the country’s confirmed COVID-19 cases continue to rise exponentially and authorities prepare for an influx of severely ill patients.
The isolated unit is located in an underground lot near the entrance to the hospital’s main campus and features over 40 additional beds and advanced telemedicine and monitoring technologies. The facility, dubbed the Corona Critical Care Unit (CCCU), has a special infrastructure for electricity, medical devices, and oxygen lines, and will house patients requiring mechanical ventilation and emergency care.
A special medical team made up of high-ranking doctors and nurses have been trained for the new facility, Sheba hospital said in a statement.
Israel currently (as of March 23) has 1,238 confirmed coronavirus cases, up 264 in 24 hours, according to Health Ministry data. Of these patients, 24 are in serious condition, 34 are in moderate condition, and the rest are listed as having minor symptoms if any. Some are receiving medical care in their homes or in hotels turned into quarantine quarters.
Sheba Medical Center’s new underground critical care unit for coronavirus patients. Photo: Sheba Medical Center
