Nurses take extreme measures in battle against coronavirus

Chinese nurses are going to extreme lengths in their battle against coronavirus which has so far killed 634 people in China.

Remarkable images and footage has been shared of nurses shaving parts or all of their hair off over fears of cross-infection while dealing with coronavirus patients.

Shan Xia, a 30-year-old nurse from the Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University – inside the epicentre of the virus, shaved all her hair off last week, China Daily reported.

The mother of two said the drastic measure also allowed her to save time when wearing and taking off protective clothing amid gruelling shifts fighting the virus.

Footage shared across Chinese state media shows a group of nurses in Shaanxi province also shaving the backs of their heads as they prepare to treat quarantined patients.

The move comes at a time of growing concern for the health of medical staff pushed to their limits, with many working long hours and lacking sleep.

On Thursday it was confirmed a pharmacist who had worked 10 days straight on the frontline died of a heart attack. Song Yingjie, 28, who was based in Hunan, has been remembered as “a hero”.

And ophthalmologist Li Wenliang, 34, who was one of the first doctors in China to raise the alarm about the virus, has died himself after contracting the virus.

A series of photos of nurses with marks across their faces from wearing face masks for long periods have also circulated, prompting praise for the dedication of staff involved.

Liu Dan, a nurse also from Shaanxi, was filmed with concerning red marks around her face after 10 consecutive days of work feeding patients and disinfecting hospitals.

Another nurse Hu Pei, from Hunan, went viral earlier this week when images of her badly cut hands emerged.

The constant applying of disinfectant while regularly changing her gloves had caused the painful injuries.

China has enacted unprecedented measures to contain the virus, which spread during the Lunar New Year holiday in late January, when millions criss-crossed the country.

But deaths and new infections continue to rise, especially at the epicentre in Hubei province, where 18 cities housing 56 million people have been under virtual lockdown since late last month.

There is a shortage of 2250 medical personnel in Hubei, deputy provincial governor Yang Yunyan said on Thursday.

Last week the National Health Commission organised for 1000 medical workers from seven provinces and municipalities to arrive in Wuhan to help as the virus continues to spread.

The inability to offer health workers adequate protective gear is hindering the numbers that can be deployed on the front lines, Yang added.

Authorities also confirmed the health chief of Dali, in China’s southwest, was sacked after intercepting thousands of face masks being sent to hard-hit Chongqing before distributing them across the city.

With Hubei's capital Wuhan overwhelmed, authorities are due to open a second, 1600-bed field hospital after the completion of the Huoshenshan Hospital in just 10 days by Monday.

The central government has announced measures intended to ensure the supply of vital resources, with tax breaks for manufacturers of medical equipment.

BGI Group, a genome sequencing company in southern China, said it had opened a lab in Wuhan able to test 10,000 people a day.

With AFP

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