The patient was brought in as a psychiatric emergency on Wednesday tested positive for the virus.
A 31-YEAR-old patient at KimMed Hospital in Kimberley has tested positive for Covid-19.
The hospital’s resident doctor, Dr Neil Cupido, confirmed on Friday that the patient, who was brought in as a psychiatric emergency on Wednesday, had tested positive for the virus.
“When the patient was brought in as an emergency he was asymptomatic. As part of the hospital’s protocol, the patient was screened. The initial screening was clear but the hospital also swabs all new admissions and this patient was swabbed on Thursday morning and the results sent to the Ampath laboratory,” said Cupido.
He added that the results came back on Thursday night and were confirmed on Friday morning.
“The patient was admitted to a private room with its own bathroom so he was not in contact with other patients during his stay here,” said Cupido.
The doctor added that three other patients who were admitted at the same time, were also tested and their results had come back negative.
“The patient will be transferred to another private hospital in Kimberley. Although he is currently stable, he has co-morbidities and we do not have the necessary facilities if he needs a ventilator or to be admitted to ICU.”
Cupido said the hospital was still operating. “All staff, from nursing staff, to cleaners, kitchen staff and security, are being tested currently. As part of the hospital’s protocol since the outbreak of the virus, all staff are screened on a daily basis and all are provided with and work in full personal protective equipment (PPEs).”
He added that the staff who had been in contact with the patient were expected to self-isolate following their initial testing. “If they show any symptoms of the virus, they will be tested again. All the roughly 50 staff members have been tested as a precautionary measure.”
Cupido said further that all new patients were automatically tested on admission and this was the only case that had come back as positive. “All the patients that are referred to the hospital’s rehabilitation centre are tested before they come here.”
