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A nurse performs a smear test for Covid-19 at a hospital in South Africa.
- 372 of the more than 3,000 people hospitalized in the Western Cape are in ICU.
- The cases of Covid-19 and PUI (people under investigation for the virus) currently represent 40% of the general acute hospital capacity available in the province.
- Western Cape is in the process of hiring 1,300 healthcare workers
There are more than 3,000 people hospitalized in the Western Cape due to Covid-19, of whom 372 are in intensive care units, Prime Minister Alan Winde said on Wednesday.
In a statement, he said the second wave appeared to be resulting in a higher number of active cases, hospitalizations and daily deaths than during the peak of the first wave.
“Currently we have more than 3,100 people hospitalized in both the public and private sectors in the province, 353 of which are in ICU. The cases of Covid-19 and PUI (people under investigation for the virus) currently represent 40% of available general acute cases, hospital capacity both in the metro and in the rural regions of the province, ”said Winde.
According to the province, at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, they had 3 380 Covid-19 patients in the hospital, 372 of them in the ICU. The province has 36,805 active Covid-19 infections and has recorded an additional 155 deaths, bringing the death toll to 6,667.
READ ALSO | Second wave of Covid-19 hits hard in Western Cape, hospital beds increased to nearly 800
To cope with the pressure on health centers, Winde said the province was in the process of hiring more than 1,300 health workers, many of them from extensions of existing short-term contracts and the rest recruited.
“We have received more than 500 applications as part of this recruiting drive and a dedicated team has been at work during this holiday period, contacting applicants to determine their availability and funneling information to the appropriate regions and districts for immediate placement,” he said. .
Beds and staff
The province has also secured 103 staff members for the additional beds and wards at Lentegeur Hospital. The group included nurses, pharmacists, and a physical therapist.
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Winde said they had also approached the province’s military hospital looking for medical personnel and had made provisions for additional beds.
Meanwhile, the city of Cape Town has again appealed to residents to adhere to closure regulations by bringing in the New Year on Thursday and Friday.
“We have had to put aside many of our traditions this year, for our own safety and that of our loved ones. It is a small price to pay when you consider the devastation that the virus has caused in so many families in our country. A call to our residents and visitors to continue to do their bit to mitigate the risk of infection and transmission during this crucial period, “said City Mayor’s Committee on Safety JP Smith.
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu said they were in the process of putting field hospitals that had been dismantled back into service when the country experienced a drop in the number of Covid-19 cases. These include the Royal Show Grounds in Pietermaritzburg, which has a capacity of 254 beds.
