61 coronavirus patients in Wuhan shifted after treatment, authorities shut hospitals as cases dwindle

The batch of 61 people, admitted at a makeshift hospital here for coronavirus treatment, has been sent for further observation and recuperation.

After being shifted from the sports venue-turned-hospital, many of these patients will be observed for at least 14 days, while the fully-cured people would remain quarantined in their homes, reported Xinhua.

Authorities in Wuhan, the epicentre of the deadly virus, have suspended 11 other makeshift hospitals, which were converted from public places to medical facilities for treating patients with mild symptoms of COVID-19.

Two more makeshift hospitals in the region have been closed as the number of patients dropped.

The batch of 61 cured patients left the sports venue turned hospital which had 1,000 beds and more than 1,000 medical and other staff.

A total of 1,056 people were treated at this makeshift hospital with now staff being infected.

However, the medical staff will remain on standby for the next few days.

"Hubei will gradually shut down temporary hospitals and cut the number of hospitals designated for the disease while maintaining strict prevention and control measures," Xinhua quoted the provincial health commission, as saying.

As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), coronavirus is a large family of viruses that cause illnesses from a simple cold to more severe respiratory illness. Coronavirus are zoonotic viruses that spread from animals to humans.

The common symptoms of the infection are fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

The deadly virus, which originated from Wuhan, has infected 110,337 people in more than 90 countries in just nearly three months. Nearly 4,000 people have died while more than 62,000 patients have been recovered.