MINSK, October 28. /TASS/. Authorities of the Belarusian capital have decided to partially suspend provision of planned medical care to free up resources to fight the COVID-19 epidemic, city health official Dmitry Cherednichenko said Wednesday.

"The situation with COVID-19 in Minsk is predictable. We were expecting a second wave," BelTA news agency quoted him as saying. "We specifically did not take down constructions in hospitals: airlock gates, sealing, etc. Now all wards are ready to continue working as COVID ones," he added. The official noted that Minsk set up 2,086 hospital beds to treat coronavirus patients and more than 100 beds equipped with ventilators.

BelTA reports that planned medical treatment for chronic health conditions as well as surgical and gastroenterologist care is temporarily suspended.