Paraguay to build contingency hospitals for virus fears

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - Paraguay is planning to build two contingency hospitals in a month as the coronavirus pandemic is spreading globally.

The Health Ministry made the announcement in a statement on Tuesday and Paraguay reserved $800,000 for each hospital.

The contingency hospitals are planned to be constructed in four weeks with modular structures to facilitate health services during the emergency caused by the new coronavirus.

The investment will be materialized with the joint efforts of the Health Ministry, Public Works and Communications Ministry and with the support of the Paraguayan Chamber of the Construction Industry.

The statement said one of these hospitals will be built at the premises of National Institute of Respiratory and Environment Diseases headquarters in the capital Asuncion, and the other at the National Itaugua Hospital in the Central Department city Itaugua.

Each of the hospitals will be with 100 bed capacity, as well as 36 beds for health professionals.

The construction, still waiting for the approval to start, are expected to receive green light by the Paraguayan government in the upcoming days.

In Paraguay, three people have died from coronavirus, while a total of 37 cases confirmed so far, according to the data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.