Gauteng mental health care facilities battle Covid-19
Weskoppies hospital recently recorded 19 cases of Covid-19 among mental health patients. Five are awaiting results and 675 are negative.
The Gauteng Department of Health is closely monitoring Covid-19 cases at both departmental-run and contracted mental health facilities, it announced this week.
The department has four specialised mental health facilities, namely Weskoppies hospital, Sterkfontein hospital, Tara H Moross psychiatric hospital and Cullinan care and rehabilitation centre.
“We have additionally contracted Life Esidimeni health care (Waverley and Baneng care centres) and Clinix Health Group (Solomon Stix Morewa Hospital) to provide care, treatment and rehabilitation for chronic mental health care users,” said spokesperson for MEC for health Kwara Kekana.
Weskoppies hospital recently recorded 19 cases of Covid-19 among mental health patients. Five are awaiting results and 675 are negative.
“Of those that are positive, one person with underlying illness died on 15 June, while another one was admitted to the Tshwane district hospital on Monday,” said Kekana.
She said eight staff members who tested positive were in isolation, 34 were awaiting their results while 1 165 were negative.
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She said the Sterkfontein facility had no patients who were positive out of the 490 currently being looked after.
“Out of 873 staff members, seven tested positive, 359 are awaiting results and 507 are negative.”
Kekana said the Tara H Moross psychiatric hospital had a female patient test positive for Covid-19 on 4 June, while one staff member, who is a general assistant tested positive on 11 June, following exposure to the positive patient.
“The employee is currently in isolation at home with mild symptoms.”
She said at the contracted mental health care services of Baneng care centre, 14 patients were tested and seven were confirmed positive for Covid-19.
“These include four females and three males, with the results of five still pending.”
Nine staff members tested positive, three have recovered and are back at work. Two remain in isolation at Midrand at Life Healthcare quarantine centre and four are isolated at home.
Kekana said the Waverley care centre had one positive patient for Covid-19, with four staff members also testing positive. They were currently isolating at home.
“One staff member is awaiting results.”
She said out of 416 patients at the Solomon Stix Morewa memorial hospital, 93 tested positive, 255 were negative and 68 were still awaiting results.
“Sadly, an elderly man with underlying conditions died on 17 June.”
The facility has 18 staff members who tested positive while 43 are negative out of 61 staff who were tested.
Kekana said all 18 employees were on self-isolation with three of them accommodated in one of the Clinix Health Group’s hospital facilities due to their home conditions not being conducive for self-isolation.
“The department is closely monitoring the situation across the facilities.”
She said a number of the patients were people with comorbidities while some were coupled with the inability to also adhere to Covid-19 precautionary measures such as regular hand washing, cough etiquette, wearing of masks and maintaining a physical distance.
“This makes mental health care users be among the most vulnerable groups.”
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