Overflowing Hospitals, Medical Shortages, Tragic Deaths in Virus-Struck Wuhan

Chen knew all too well the dangers lurking on the other side of the globe, but hopped on the plane anyway. There was no other option to rescue her mother, who lives in the Chinese city of Wuhan—ground zero of a virulent outbreak that has prompted a global health emergency. International airlines are now halting flights to China, while international brands such as Apple and Starbucks are closing their Chinese branches. Around a dozen countries including the United States have barred entry to travelers who have recently been to China. On Jan. 18, Chen’s mother began exhibiting symptoms similar to the coronavirus that has spread all over China and dozens of countries. Her condition was deteriorating by the day. For 10 days, her mother tried to seek medical help, but everywhere she went, hospitals turned her away due to the lack of beds. Chen’s family was not alone: according to Wuhan mayor, as of Jan. 26, the city has utilized 24 hospitals and a total of 100,000 beds to cope with the growing number of suspected patients. Authorities are also constructing two additional emergency hospitals to handle coronavirus patients...MORE