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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Health
Jacob Jarvis

Footage from Excel Centre shows huge space for beds as it's converted into coronavirus hospital

A worker helping convert the Excel Centre into a coronavirus field hospital has shared footage of the huge space set to be filled with beds.

Alex Woodside, who is setting up cabling as it is turned into the Nightingale Hospital, highlighted the expanse which the 4,000 beds will occupy.

He said he had not been taking the coronavirus outbreak "very seriously" until arriving for work - but said the scale of the project had changed his mind.

Turning his camera, he detailed the number of beds, before showing where two morgues are also being built, describing the space as a kilometre in length.

"If you're not taking it seriously, like I wasn't, I think we really need to start," he said.

"Because they're preparing for an absolutely high death toll here."

More than 9,520 have been infected with coronavirus in the UK so far, while at least 463 of those diagnosed have died.

The Nightingale Hospital, in London's Docklands, is due to open next week.

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