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Health professionals infected with COVID-19 pose a serious threat to South Africa’s containment efforts, and private facilities report an alarmingly high number of internal cases.
As South Africa’s overburdened healthcare system prepares for the full impact of the coronavirus, which is expected to peak in September 2020, both public and private facilities are stepping up efforts to prevent the internal spread of COVID. -19. As South Africa’s first main line of defense against the outbreak, the government has emphasized the importance of rapid detection in hospitals and clinics, followed by quarantine or even closure if necessary.
Netcare’s COVID-19 nightmare in Durban
Kingscare Netcare Hospital in Amanzimtoti was forced to take closure measures for specific units after it was revealed that several staff members had come into contact with a coronavirus-positive patient. The hospital, located south of Durban, announced that it would not accept new patients and that the admissions center would be closed until further notice.
While the status of staff members who came into contact with the virus has not yet been released, Netcare confirmed that both the trauma and radiology units had been closed.
Kingsway Hospital is the second Netcare facility to suffer from the virus since South Africa instituted a national blockade. Netcare’s St. Augustine Hospital in Berea recorded 66 positive cases of COVID-19, with 48 of the infections related to staff members. After preliminary investigation into the outbreak, the MEC for Health in KwaZulu-Natal, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, revealed that the rampant infection in the hospital was the result of an “incorrect protocol.”
Mediclinic at Morningside confirms staff infections
Another private healthcare group, Mediclinic, has also been badly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. On Wednesday morning it was revealed that the Mediclinic at Morningside in Sandton, Johannesburg had been forced to implement strict security protocols after several staff members tested positive for COVID-19.
Stefan Smuts, clinical director of Mediclinic Southern Africa, assured patients that screening and testing efforts had been intensified to stop the spread of the virus. According to Smuts, 12 employees, seven of whom are health professionals, tested positive for the virus and were immediately placed in isolation. Smuts said:
“More than 100 potential contacts have been tested, and most of these yield negative results.”
At this time, it is unclear whether the Mediclinic at Morningside will institute the closure of certain units as seen in other cases.
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