No decline in Covid cases yet
“Last week the figure stood at 10 971, this number is particularly concerning as during the second wave the City experienced its peak at approximately 16 000 active cases before witnessing a decline.”
The Tshwane metro has recorded another increase in the number of active Covid-19 cases this week, which has led to a great demand for hospital beds in private and public hospitals.
The rise in cases have led hospitals to increase human resource capacity and provide additional training to upskill nursing staff from other units to assist in pressure areas such as ICU and high care.
Chief clinical officer of Mediclinic Southern Africa Dr Gerrit de Villiers said Mediclinic could confirm that there “was a very strong demand for hospital beds during the current third wave”.
De Villiers said the wave was impacting hospitals in Gauteng, Free State and Northern Cape in particular.
“This demand is being experienced across much of the industry and as a result of the increase in patient numbers and severity of patients’ conditions, it is expected to continue in the coming weeks.
“Mediclinic Muelmed is currently experiencing high volumes of patients with Covid-19 related conditions. ICU and high care beds are under particular strain, but the hospital is still able to receive and accommodate patients,” De Villiers said.
De Villiers said they were also in constant contact with the hospitals in all regions to identify their specific needs in terms of resources.
Steve Biko academic hospital CEO Dr Mathabo Mathebula said their facility had also noted an increase of Covid-19 patients.
Mathebula said the hospital’s health systems were also under pressure due to the increase.
“Like all waves of Covid-19, resources including staff have to be taken away from rendering routine services to concentrate on fighting the virus at the expense of elective medical conditions.”
She said healthcare workers had been fighting Covid-19 for more than a year now.
“They are exhausted and frustrated more so when there are waves after waves. Just seeing people walking around in groups and not wearing masks add to their misery.”
Mathebula said the pandemic had also affected hospital work as patients who had non-Covid-19 emergencies in the inner city of Tshwane had to be directed to other hospitals who were also taking care of Covid-19 patients.
“Each hospital admits both Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 patients at their mandated level of care. The overflow of Covid-19 patients gets sent for admission at Tshwane district hospital.”
She said currently there were “enough beds for now” hoping that negligence on the part of individuals would not lead to beds becoming outnumbered.
She said currently there were 200-plus approved beds at Tshwane district hospital, which was repurposed to admitting Covid-19 patients.
Managing director of Netcare’s hospital division Jacques du Plessis said Covid-19 cases in the country, and particularly in Gauteng, continued to rise.
“Although the situation remains fluid, at present our facilities in Gauteng are under pressure, while Netcare facilities in all other provinces remain on high alert. But for now we have not yet seen a surge in Covid-19 admissions,” Du Plessis said.
“To further support patients during the pandemic, Netcare VirtualCare GP consultations are available with many GPs at Medicross. Patients can consult a GP over the phone or via a secure video link, either on mobile devices or computers, to keep patients in contact with doctors without the need for in-person consultations.”
He said in the case of an individual who is concerned of having Covid-19, for example, the doctor may ask specific questions to assess a patient’s risk, advise whether the person need to be tested, and give the patient a referral to a pathology laboratory for testing to be done.
READ MORE: SANDF boost local health system to withstand Covid-19 third wave
“In common with other Netcare group facilities, Medicross medical and dental centres have rigorous preventative precautions in place.
“As part of our disaster management planning, we have commissioned temporary clinical decision units at certain hospitals in Gauteng to accommodate additional emergency patients,” he said.
“These units proved very helpful in the second wave to ease the burden on the emergency departments and to enable the stabilisation of patients prior to hospitalisation.
“We have also taken the difficult decision to suspend visiting hours, other than in exceptional circumstances and end-of-life situations and then only with the express permission of hospital management on a case-by-case basis,” Du Plessis added.
He said Netcare hospitals have bulk liquid oxygen supply tanks, as well as oxygen cylinders as a back-up.
The Gauteng Department of Health MEC has also assured the public, that its health systems have been able to withstand the current Covid-19 third wave, experienced in the province.
Mayor Randall Williams said the metro’s most recent Covid-19 report indicated that active cases had advanced to 17 130.
“This indicates a significant increase in active cases, in the previous week the figure stood at 10 971.”
“This number is particularly concerning as during the second wave the city experienced its peak at approximately 16 000 active cases before witnessing a decline,” said Williams.
He said looking at current trends, it was becoming clear that active Covid-19 cases were increasing rapidly in the current third wave.
“New confirmed daily cases are increasing sharply ranging between 2 100 and 2 300 cases per day.”
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