Click here if you are having trouble viewing the gallery and video on your mobile device
The World Health Organization says the coronavirus pandemic is “accelerating,” according to NPR.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the John Hopkins University website found that 417,698 cases have been confirmed and 18,614 deaths have been reported. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that it took 67 days for the virus to reach 100,000 reported cases, 11 days to hit the 200,000 mark and four days to reach 300,000 cases. With that in mind, countries around the world have been working to create field hospitals and prepare beds in anticipation of the influx of patients. Nations such as Spain, Sweden, Italy and Serbia have areas set up. Meanwhile, France is running drills and preparing their own field hospitals.
In the United States, Navy hospital ships are being sent to Los Angeles and New York. In Baltimore and the Empire State, convention centers are being converted to field hospitals. The scenes are reminiscent of flu pandemics of the past. In Los Angeles, Officials are opening emergency shelters for the homeless in an effort to slow the spread of the illness. Locally, the National Guard helped assemble food packages at Second Harvest Food Bank in San Jose.
The photo gallery above shows the efforts of Americans and nations abroad to prepare for COVID-19 patients. For other images, follow us on Instagram.
