Provisional hospital to be launched next week in exhibition center
Venue is part of Fira Barcelona, which also shelters vulnerable people during the crisis
An exhibition center of Fira Barcelona complex will host a provisional hospital from next week in order to expand the capacity of the Catalan health system, reaching its limit due to the outbreak of coronavirus.
On Saturday afternoon, the health minister, Alba Vergés, announced that the exhibition center will be transformed into 'Fira Salut,' the name given to the provisional healthcare facility.
It will open its doors next week with a capacity of 300 beds – but she said that, if needed, this capacity will be expanded to up to 2,000 beds.
Vergés said that some 600 healthcare professionals will work in this venue covering a permanent care of the center, 24/7.
Another pavilion of Fira Barcelona is already sheltering hundreds of vulnerable people, mostly homeless people.
Elsewhere hotels have been adapted for people affected by covid-19 with mild symptoms and also to host healthcare professionals.
The Catalan government, together with Barcelona's city council, also announced earlier this week that in the coming days, several sports centers will work as an extension of the four main public hospitals in the Catalan capital.
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