This photo, provided by KAIST on Jan. 7, 2021, shows a mobile clinic module installed at the Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences in northeastern Seoul.
SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean researchers have developed mobile negative pressure isolation rooms for critically ill COVID-19 patients, a top science university said Thursday.
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) said its team of researchers has tested a modular facility of negative pressure rooms, which are important for the treatment of patients with infectious diseases.
The negative pressure facility prevents cross-contamination, essential for COVID-19 patient wards, and can be built and even stored away with relative ease due to its modular structure.
The mobile ward, designed as an addition to existing hospital infrastructure, can be manufactured in two weeks and takes five days for transportation and installment, according to the research team.
KAIST researchers have been testing the facility with mock patients at the Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences in northeastern Seoul since Dec. 28 last year.
KAIST said its mobile clinic module fits four patient rooms as well as a nursing station, a storage room and a room for medical staff.
The research team aims to commercialize the mobile clinic module after the testing, which will run until Jan. 15.
South Korea’s daily new coronavirus cases have recently shown signs of a slowdown, staying below 1,000 for the third consecutive day on Thursday.
(Yonhap)
