Famagusta General Hospital to serve as COVID-19 centre

Famagusta General Hospital will serve as the reference hospital for coronavirus patients and has already undergone an emergency management drill to handle an outbreak of the deadly disease.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Christina Yiannaki, said that Famagusta General was chosen as a reference hospital in case of an epidemic or pandemic as there is an increase of coronavirus cases worldwide making it imperative for the ministry to be fully prepared.

It was chosen as it can be easily transformed as a centre as the hospital does not treat serious case and disruption to patients would be minimal. Trained and equipment will also be transferred there.

Yiannaki said that if there are coronavirus cases with symptoms, those will be transferred to Famagusta General hospital where the Gynaecological and Paediatric departments were evacuated.

These two departments can accommodate 28 cases. In case of a pandemic or epidemic, the hospital will be able to accommodate a total of 120 cases.

She said the hospital was chosen because it is very well manned and organised with staff trained to handle any kind of emergency.