Dong Fang, a female doctor at Wuhan Third Hospital, Hubei province, as well as her colleagues are facing increasing pressure as the number of deaths and infections with the new coronavirus (nCoV) continues to increase.
Not only because of the lack of hospital beds and protective equipment, Dong is also worried about the health of her husband, a doctor at Wuhan Central Hospital who was infected with nCoV while working.
It was also Dong’s birthday.
`He said he was infected the day before. He planned to celebrate my birthday at home and didn’t think he would be stuck at the hospital,` Dong choked up.
The birthday cake that Dr. Dong Fang’s husband sent to her and announced that he was infected with nCoV on January 19.
The couple’s two sons are temporarily staying at their grandparents’ house.
Dong couldn’t treat her husband because she was stretched at her hospital, sometimes working 72 hours straight.
`The more people gather in hospitals, the easier it is for the virus to spread. It’s better for people with mild symptoms to stay home and self-monitor. I really hope everyone will understand this,` she said.
By January 31, almost all hospitals treating nCoV in Wuhan were overloaded.
`Online diagnosis can solve the problem. Doctors can guide patients on how to handle mild symptoms at home to ensure hospital beds are available to serve those with urgent needs. All
Dr. Dong Fang at Wuhan Third Hospital, Hubei province last month.
As a dean, Dong worries every day about the supply of medical protective equipment.
`It’s a war. The virus is like a bullet. We don’t know if it will hit us from one day to the next. We lack beds for patients and protective clothing for doctors, and we
Even though they didn’t fully understand the situation, Dong’s 10 and 14 year old sons still encouraged their mother.
`The boy doesn’t understand the seriousness of his father’s illness. He is too young,` Dong said.
On January 23, the day before the lunar new year, Dong burst into tears while sitting at home alone with pent-up pressure.
`I used to think I was safe, because I could fight it with my husband. But now, he has been quarantined, leaving me on the battlefield alone. I hope everything will be okay soon.`