Virus patients treated at Sao Paulo field hospital

The Dell'Antonia Field Hospital for COVID-19 patients, on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, reported Tuesday a decreasing occupancy in its beds.

The city and the surrounding areas have increased available spaces, as health authorities reported a record number of 334 coronavirus deaths.

The Dell'Antonia Field Hospital is located within a gym and was built to take the stress off traditional hospitals - on Tuesday it used 57 percent of its 180 beds, including 20 ICUs.

Doctor Jose Roberto Dente has worked in the hospital since it was opened on April 14th.

"We don't have to treat the disease, we have to treat the people. To do this (we offer) care, loving care, care with affection to people," said Dr. Dente with tears in his eyes.

Most patients can talk to their families through video-conferencing and in one rare case, a woman was allowed to stay for a couple of days after the hospital discharged her, so she could take care of her mother who was also a patient in the same hospital.

Iracema and Carolina Djeane left the hospital on Tuesday under the hospital's staff applause.

Brazil reported on Tuesday more than 38,400 deaths and almost 740,000 COVID-19 cases.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.