Beijing (AP) – A large quarantine center with more than 4,000 rooms is being launched in northern China in response to a COVID-19 outbreak in Shijiazhuang, a city of more than 10 million people in Hebei Province .
Satellite images from the European Space Agency show dramatic changes over ten days in an area where there was only flat land before construction began on 13 January.
Rows of prefabricated houses can be seen. The official People’s Daily said more than 600 rooms would be ready by Jan. 19. Another 3,600 will have to be added at the time of completion.
Construction and materials workers have been sent across the country to help build the center, state media reported. It is common practice for China to mobilize resources across the country to deal with natural disasters and other crises.
Last year, two hospitals, Huoshenshan and Leishenshan, were built in a few days to treat COVID-19 patients in Wuhan City, where the coronavirus was first detected.
China has largely slowed the internal spread of the virus, but is battling outbreaks this winter in its northern cold. The National Health Commission on Monday reported 145 new cases in the last 24-hour period, including 11 in Hubei Province.
The quarantine center is designed to house people who have been in contact with COVID-19 patients. Each single room is 18 square meters (190 square feet) and features bed linen, a work desk, air conditioning, a TV and Wi-Fi, according to China News Service.
It is located in Zhengding County, a suburban area north of Shijiazhuang. The city, the capital of Hebei, is about 260 kilometers (160 miles) southwest of Beijing.
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Associated Press News Assistant Caroline Chen contributed to this report.