As most hospitals in Beijing have begun to receive epidemic infections in recent days, Beijing Ditan Hospital, the designated medical provider for COVID-19 patients since the outbreak, will only accept patients in severe and critical conditions after experts' evaluation, according to the hospital.

"Since the COVID-19 outbreak in the beginning of 2020, Ditan Hospital has been continuously treating COVID-19 patients and has accumulated a large number of clinical cases, especially in the treatment of cases in serve and critical conditions," Chen Xiaoyou, deputy director of the hospital told Beijing Youth Daily on Saturday. "As of Saturday, there were 367 infections undergoing treatment at Ditan Hospital, including 130 aged 60 and above".

"Even though the proportion of cases in serve and critical conditions is small, the number of people infected with the Omicron virus is large," he said. "Thus, the absolute number of severe and critical cases in the future is likely to be big".

The hospital now can provide 100 beds for COVID-19 patients in severe and critical conditions, according to the hospital.

"We are well prepared with strong support from the city's hospital administration center and health commission," he said. "We have organized a professional medical team and equipped ventilators and monitors in accordance with the 100 beds".

He also advised people aged 60 and above to protect themselves well in public areas to reduce the risks of infection.

"Compared with young people, COVID-19 patients aged 60 and above are at higher risk of having the illness turn into severe and critical conditions because of their lower immunity and some underlying diseases," he said. "The best protective effect to prevent respiratory infectious diseases is wearing masks, especially the N95 masks".

"Those senior infections who have no serious underlying diseases and show asymptomatic or mild symptoms can choose to quarantine at home," he said. "During the process, if they begin showing dyspnea, palpitation, chest pain, leg and foot trouble or high fever, they should go to hospital for treatment as soon as possible".

For those with serious underlying diseases, such as diabetes complications and poor blood pressure control, Chen advised them to seek medical treatment at hospital.

Recently, the Beijing Emergency Center saw a surging increase of 120 emergency calls for medical consultation from asymptomatic and mild patients and some made requests for an emergency ambulance, Beijing Daily reported.

Chen Zhi, chief physician of the center, urges asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 infections not to dial the emergency medical number 120 and to leave emergency hotline channels for critically ill patients.