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Coronavirus: China deploys remote-controlled mini-tank used to disinfect areas hit by virus
A CHINESE city has deployed a fleet of remote-controlled mini-tanks to spray disinfectant in residential areas hit by coronavirus.
The unmanned machines, deployed in Taiyuan, central China’s Shanxi Province, travel at about 2.7 miles per hour and can sterilise a 12-acre area per hour, according to a spokesperson.
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Each of these devices can carry 440 pounds (200kg) of disinfectant and spray the liquid in a radius of 26 feet, according to Hou Yongfei, deputy director of Shanxi Provincial Drone Association.
The mini-tanks allowed health workers to decontaminate virus-hit areas without running the risk of being infected by the deadly disease, which has killed at least 1,775 people and infected more than 71,450 globally.
A Wuhan hospital boss died yesterday from coronavirus, according to Chinese media.
Dr Liu Zhiming, the director of Wuchang Hospital, was working in a neighbourhood clinic when he contracted the virus.
It comes after a 59-year-old nurse in the same hospital was killed by the virus last Friday.
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Chang Kai, a director at Hubei Film Studios, died on Friday aged 55 from pneumonia caused by coronavirus, according to an obituary published by his employer.
His father, mother and older sister also died from the disease, according to .
Health experts have rasied concerns that home quarantine can lead to more infections.
China's President Xi Jinping admitted to “shortcomings” in his country's emergency response systems and said local officials would be punished if they failed to “take responsibility” or implement directives.
He also condemned the “major hidden danger” of eating wild animals.
The leader said: "This epidemic is a huge test of China's governance and capabilities.
“This epidemic revealed that we still have shortcomings in urban public environmental governance.
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"We must thoroughly investigate and rectify them to make up for public health shortcomings.”
The comments were made during an internal speech and analysts noted it was unusual for it to be released to the public.
Xi was mostly absent from Chinese state media coverage of the crisis at the beginning as his first public comments on the outbreak were on January 20.
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