CLUJ, Romania–Deltamed, a company from Gilau, Cluj county, Romania, has built one of the safest vehicles for transporting patients with highly contagious diseases; beside the powerful HEPA filters system, negative pressure is continuously produced inside the ambulance, preventing the airborne pathogens exiting the vehicle, which sets the world record for being the World’s First ambulance for the transport of coronavirus (COVID-19) patients, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.
The highly infected patients transport ambulance is built on a Mercedes Sprinter chassis. The superstructure is made of sandwich panels coated on the inside with stainless steel, which allows the use of the strongest disinfectants. Beside the powerful HEPA filters system, negative pressure is continuously produced inside the ambulance, preventing the airborne pathogens exiting the vehicle.
The ambulance also incorporates a multiple victim transport system, making it a multi-use vehicle. It can transport up to 9 rescuers to the site of a mass-casualty incident, where from up to 6 victims can be evacuated: 4 on foldable stretchers and 2, in a better medical condition, on chairs. Instead of the 4 foldable stretchers, the ambulance can carry 2 patients on trolley stretchers or even a hospital bed.
Although it was designed for transport only, it can be used in more serious cases because it is equipped with a defibrillator, a mechanical fan and also a patient monitoring system.
Bariatric patients can also be transported, as a winch can be installed, allowing to pull up on the loading ramp the special stretcher of such a patient.
The ambulance carries practically a true isolation room. The interior lining is made of stainless steel, which allows the use of the most powerful disinfectants.
The basic vehicle is a Mercedes Sprinter 4×4 chassis, 3 liters, 184 HP, with superior off-road capabilities compared to standard vehicles, thanks to an additional conversion of the traction (selectable four-wheel drive). The maximum payload of the ambulance is 4500 kg.
“If we were urgently asked, we could produce about 30-40 in a month,” says George Osan, director of the Deltamed production department.
The starting price of such a vehicle is 140,000 euros (USD 151,000.00), but can reach 200,000, depending on the equipment. The truck is built on a Mercedes Sprinter chassis, with modified 4 × 4 traction, and designed to successfully cope with any viral threat, such as Ebola, tuberculosis, yellow fever, influenza or coronavirus (COVID-19).
The special vehicle was designed to create a sterile environment inside. The interior does not communicate with the outside, the air is completely filtered.