Poland to use stadium as hospital

Warsaw, Poland - Poland’s national stadium will double as a field hospital for Warsaw, a senior government official said on Monday, as a spike in coronavirus cases has strained health care facilities to the breaking point.

The decision came days after the government asked Poles to ‘stay home’ and ‘work remotely’ if possible as it announced a raft of restrictions to stem infections.

Built for the UEFA Euro 2012 football championships, the 60,000-seat stadium has conference rooms under its stands able to accommodate patients.

“About 500 beds will be installed in the stadium to receive people requiring hospitalisation,” government spokesman Piotr Muller told the commercial Polsatnews channel.

The new facility, that will have around 50 intensive care beds, will be ready to accept patients by the end of the week.