5 staff test positive for Covid-19 at Durban’s King Edward VIII Hospital
There have been calls for closure of the hospital, but the department of health said it would not close every facility where staff tested positive as this was 'an unsustainable approach'.
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu has confirmed that five staff members have tested positive for Covid-19 at King Edward VIII Hospital in Durban.
“We also note unwarranted calls that have been attributed to staff calling for the closure of the hospital. We wish to reiterate that we will not be embarking on the wholesale closure of every healthcare facility where staff test positive,” said Ms Simelane-Zulu.
She stressed that that approach is unsustainable.
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“We are guided by the extent of infections based on a formal risk assessment study, in line with guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the clinical management of Covid-19.”
Hospital management is currently conducting the risk assessment study which will consider among other factors:
* Where the infection took place
* When it happened
* Who was infected
“Our intervention going forward will be based on findings from that investigation. The decision on whether to close the theatre or any other part of the hospital will be determined by the number of positive tests and extent of the building’s exposure to the virus,” said MEC Simelane-Zulu.
She called on the public to understand that hospitals are there to accept and treat patients with various ailments, including Covid-19.
“As government, we have a paramount responsibility to provide all the equipment and gear necessary to prevent the transmission of the virus within the hospital setting; between patients and staff and among staff themselves. Both staff and patients have their own responsibility to adhere to safety precautions.”
She appealed to everyone to use their personal protective equipment correctly at all times as any person or area within a hospital setting is a potential carrier of Covid-19.
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