Zarqa military field hospital to receive COVID patients as of next week

AMMAN — The percentage of COVID-19- positive health workers, who provided services to coronavirus patients, is less than the percentage of doctors and nurses, who contracted the virus in the community outside hospitals, Acting Director General of the Royal Medical Services Brig. Gen. Nidal Al Khasawneh said on Wednesday.

Khasawneh’s remarks came during a joint press briefing at Prince Hashim Bin Al Hussein Hospital.

His Majesty King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army, inaugurated a field hospital established on the grounds of the Royal Medical Services’ Prince Hashim Bin Al Hussein Hospital in Zarqa Governorate on Tuesday.

The field hospital will receive COVID-19 patients as of next week, he said, noting that the hospital has 450 staff members, including nurses, technicians, administrative staff and radiologists.

He also added that decision on keeping or closing the quarantine ward at Prince Hashim Bin Al Hussein Hospital is still under assessment, stressing that at this stage, efforts are focused on protecting the healthcare workers through taking preventive measures, notably providing medical gowns and face shields.

Brig. Gen. Talal Ghabin, head of the moral guidance department at the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army, said that preparing the field hospital is aimed at supporting the armed forces’ anti-coronavirus efforts, pointing out that the field hospital has a 300-bed capacity, including 48 ICU beds and 12 intermediate care beds.

The field hospital, covering an area of 5,200 square metres, was built in 14 days, he said, pointing out that the hospital is fully equipped to provide services to various medical conditions, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.