Mediclinic Gariep has confirmed that four patients in the hospital have tested positive for Covid-19.
MEDICLINIC Gariep in Kimberley has confirmed that four patients in the hospital have tested positive for Covid-19.
This comes after KimMed Hospital in the city confirmed on Friday that a 31-year-old patient, who was brought in on Wednesday as a psychiatric emergency, has also tested positive for the virus.
Manager of Lenmed Royal Hospital and Heart Centre, Hector Mackay, said that as of today there were no positive cases at the hospital.
Mediclinic Gariep spokesperson Denise Coetzee said on Friday that on April 29 the hospital performed tests on 29 patients as part of a baseline assessment of all patients currently admitted to the hospital. “We can confirm that four of these patients have returned positive results for Covid-19.”
She added that the patients in question were currently being accommodated in an isolation unit, where the hospital’s nursing staff were trained and equipped to manage the patients according to the level of care the illness requires.
“We can confirm that reviews have taken place to identify all staff, doctors and patients potentially exposed. The national Department of Health has firm processes in place governing contact tracing of those exposed to a positive individual. All contacts are being followed up, monitored and isolation protocols stringently applied where relevant.”
Coetzee stated further that, in strict accordance with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and national Department of Health protocols, Mediclinic Gariep had implemented the necessary measures to manage any patients testing positive for the virus and to prevent any potential transmission in its facilities.
“We continue to urge the public to take the necessary precautions by practising good hand hygiene, social distancing as well as adhering to all lockdown requirements.
“We also encourage anyone experiencing signs and symptoms of the disease, such as shortness of breath, fever, sore throat, coughing or who believe that they may have been exposed to the virus to contact their health care provider.”
