Switzerland. Canton Ticino. Lugano. Due to the spread of the coronavirus (also called Covid-19) and given the increase in cases in Ticino, the Clinica Luganese Moncucco was transformed into a Covid-19 Hospital. Rooms planning. The patients are all in severe conditions and cannot breathe on their own. They all require intubation and the use of a ventilator. Intubation is the process of inserting a breathing tube through the mouth and into the airway. A ventilator—also known as a respirator or breathing machine—is a medical device that provides oxygen through the breathing tube. For patients critically ill with Covid-19, access to a ventilator is a matter of life or death. The machines get oxygen into the lungs and remove carbon dioxide from the body. The ventilators need to not only keep people breathing but also accurately monitor their lungs, using a mix of airflow, temperature, humidity and pressure sensors. ICU ventilators use touchscreens to provide a range of tools to assess the appropriate respiratory therapy. 25.03.2020 © 2020 Didier Ruef