By Zhu Hongliang and Zhou Na

BEIJING, Feb. 13 -- With approval of Chinese President Xi Jinping, also chairman of the Central Military Commission, the Chinese military will send additional 2,600 medical personnel to Wuhan to help fight against the outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19).

By referring to the operation mode of Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital, the 2,600 military medial personnel will undertake the tasks of treating patients that have been diagnosed and confirmed in the Wuhan Taikang Tongji Hospital and the Guanggu Branch of Hubei Maternal and Child Health Hospital.

The Wuhan Taikang Tongji Hospital plans to open 860 beds, and the Guanggu Branch of Hubei Maternal and Child Health Hospital plans to open 700 beds. Both hospitals will set up clinical wards with auxiliary departments for infection control, testing, special diagnosis, radiological diagnosis, medical devices, disinfection supply, information and medical engineering.

The 2,600 military medical personnel are drawn from the PLA Army, Navy, Air Force, Rocket Force, Strategic Support Force, Joint Logistic Support Force and Armed Police Force. According to the above two hospitals’ treatment capacity and construction progress, the military medical personnel will be deployed in batches. The first group of 1,400 personnel has arrived in Wuhan on February 13 and scheduled to carry out medical treatment as soon as possible.

Up to now, the Chinese military has sent 3 batches of more than 4,000 medical personnel to support Wuhan in fighting against the epidemic of novel coronary pneumonia (COVID-19).