Covid-19: Gauteng patients fill up Limpopo hospitals

The surge in Covid-19 cases in Gauteng has had a knock-on effect on Limpopo, with many Covid-19 positive patients from Gauteng now self-referring to be hospitalised in Limpopo.

The MEC of Health, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, during a virtual press conference following last week’s Provincial Covid-19 Council meeting, confirmed earlier today that the majority of patients currently admitted in Polokwane hospitals, are from Gauteng.

The deaths recorded in Limpopo, she said, were not because of a shortage of ventilators, and that currently, only one person is on a ventilator at the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital.

The public hospitals have 54 ventilators available, and would cope well if the infection rate stays at 2%. Should the infection rate increase to 10%, it would put pressure on the health system, she said. Another 150 ventilators have been ordered by the department, but have not yet been delivered.

She said people die because of comorbidities and because they come to hospitals too late to intervene. Three persons have so far died from Covid-19 while at home.

The bodies of those who die of seemingly unnatural causes are also tested, to not compromise funeral undertakers and so they could comply with regulations when burying these bodies.

There still is a testing backlog, but the MEC cautioned people who have been in contact with Covid-19 positive patients, not to test too soon only because they are anxious. Testing is advised for after five days after being in contact with the patient, as it otherwise may give a false negative outcome when a person is still developing symptoms.

She added that the stream of patients from Gauteng also impacts the funeral industry, as many people who died in Gauteng, are buried in the villages where they come from.

Weekend visitors coming from Gauteng are also likely to spread the virus in the province, where numbers are already increasing rapidly.

Questions relating to why clinics are not open 24 hours, she cited security issues, adding that only last week there was a case where a clinic in Rietfontein was targeted and the nurses robbed. She said there was an arrest made earlier the week and some stolen items were retrieved.

She said Covid-19 cases in the province are now above 2 000, of which 289 people are asymptomatic.

A biggest problem the department faces is Covid-19 burn-out among healthcare workers, who are stressed and working hard to cope with the pandemic, while fearing they might be infected or infect their own families. Some 42 healthcare workers have tested positive so far.

Ramathuba asked residents to be self-disciplined and act responsibly by following the prescripts of washing and sanitising of hands, wearing masks and keeping the correct social distance. The department will also empower and teach communities how to look after the vulnerable, ill and infected people, and how to clean their homes to minimise infections, the MEC said.

She emphasised that people should rather stay at home and avoid crowds and crowded areas, and follow the regulations.

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