<p>China is rushing to build a new hospital in a staggering 10 days to treat patients at the epicentre of a deadly virus outbreak that has stricken hundreds of people, state media reported Friday.</p>.<p>The facility in the central city of Wuhan is expected to be in use by February 3 to serve a rising number of patients infected by a coronavirus that has left at least 26 people dead and millions on lockdown in an effort to curb its spread.</p>.<p>Dozens of excavators and trucks were filmed working on the site by state broadcaster CCTV.</p>.<p>It will have a capacity of 1,000 beds spread over 25,000 square metres, the official Xinhua news agency said.</p>.<p>Construction began as reports surfaced of bed shortages in hospitals designated to deal with the outbreak, which has now infected 830 people across China.</p>.<p>Xinhua said the new facility is aimed at "alleviating the shortage of medical treatment resources and improving the ability to care for patients".</p>.<p>In 2003 China erected a hospital on Beijing's rural outskirts in barely a week to cater to a rapidly rising number of patients suffering from SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which killed 349 people in mainland China and 299 in Hong Kong in 2002-2003.</p>.<p>Xiaotangshan Hospital consisted of prefabricated structures and Xinhua reported Friday that Wuhan was building the new facility based on the same model.</p>.<p>The city of over 11 million people has been centralising its treatment of the new virus by isolating patients in 61 clinics and designated hospitals.</p>.<p>Chinese officials have said the virus likely originated from wild animals at a seafood market in Wuhan but it has since spread to several countries around Asia and beyond.</p>.<p>The outbreak has prompted authorities in at least eight Chinese cities to impose travel restrictions and cancel public events to curb the spread.</p>.<p>State broadcaster CCTV reported Friday that 40 military doctors were being brought in to help with intensive care at the Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital.</p>
<p>China is rushing to build a new hospital in a staggering 10 days to treat patients at the epicentre of a deadly virus outbreak that has stricken hundreds of people, state media reported Friday.</p>.<p>The facility in the central city of Wuhan is expected to be in use by February 3 to serve a rising number of patients infected by a coronavirus that has left at least 26 people dead and millions on lockdown in an effort to curb its spread.</p>.<p>Dozens of excavators and trucks were filmed working on the site by state broadcaster CCTV.</p>.<p>It will have a capacity of 1,000 beds spread over 25,000 square metres, the official Xinhua news agency said.</p>.<p>Construction began as reports surfaced of bed shortages in hospitals designated to deal with the outbreak, which has now infected 830 people across China.</p>.<p>Xinhua said the new facility is aimed at "alleviating the shortage of medical treatment resources and improving the ability to care for patients".</p>.<p>In 2003 China erected a hospital on Beijing's rural outskirts in barely a week to cater to a rapidly rising number of patients suffering from SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which killed 349 people in mainland China and 299 in Hong Kong in 2002-2003.</p>.<p>Xiaotangshan Hospital consisted of prefabricated structures and Xinhua reported Friday that Wuhan was building the new facility based on the same model.</p>.<p>The city of over 11 million people has been centralising its treatment of the new virus by isolating patients in 61 clinics and designated hospitals.</p>.<p>Chinese officials have said the virus likely originated from wild animals at a seafood market in Wuhan but it has since spread to several countries around Asia and beyond.</p>.<p>The outbreak has prompted authorities in at least eight Chinese cities to impose travel restrictions and cancel public events to curb the spread.</p>.<p>State broadcaster CCTV reported Friday that 40 military doctors were being brought in to help with intensive care at the Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital.</p>