New hospital to open as number of patients soars

Beijing is adding a brand new hospital to its arsenal in the battle against the A(H1N1) influenza virus as the city notches its 50th positive case, Beijing health bureau said yesterday.

The facility will ease pressure on 10 hospitals currently treating flu patients while also looking after people with routine injuries and illnesses.

"Most of the patients were hospitalized in the two infectious diseases hospitals as we tried to maintain the routine operation of the eight other hospitals with varied departments," Ma Yanming, a health bureau spokesperson told China Daily yesterday. "As we are expecting more cases, the new hospital will help ease the pressure on all of the 10 hospitals (in Beijing that are treating flu patients)."