A mini plenary session of European Parliament in Brussels on March 26 | Aris Oikonomou/AFP via Getty Images European Parliament could be turned into a hospital Assembly offers use of a building and vehicles.

The European Parliament has offered the city of Brussels the use of one of its buildings, as well as its vehicles, to help in the fight against coronavirus.

Klaus Welle, the Parliament's secretary-general, made the offer on Wednesday, according to Parliament spokesperson Jaume Duch Guillot. He said the idea is to let the Brussels authorities use the Helmut Kohl building on Square de Meeus (close to its main building), as well as about 100 cars and other vehicles.

"The president of the Parliament David Sassoli and its services have been examining for several days how the Parliament could help," Duch Guillot told the Belga news agency. "The building could be used as a hospital or temporary residence for people who need care. Drivers could help carry food or medicines."

The Parliament's buildings are mostly empty after Sassoli brought in measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus, including by banning visitors and sending most staff home.

Leaders of the Parliament also decided to scrap plenary sessions in Strasbourg until July, and replace them with mini-sessions in Brussels with a very limited number of members attending.

Officials said other options to provide help to Belgium are being studied. The assembly is considering providing similar assistance in Strasbourg and Luxembourg.