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- Mediclinic says it has noticed an increase in patients admitted with Covid-19 – from less than 100 to more than 500.
- The health services group has asked the public to monitor their behavior and prevent the spread of the virus.
- The group says there has been a dramatic increase in the number in the Western Cape.
In an effort to manage the growing demand for hospital admissions, as Covid-19 cases increase, the Mediclinic health services group has suspended, among other measures, all elective (or non-emergency) surgeries in the Western Cape region, in order to build capacity. .
On Saturday, the group warned the public to adjust their behavior and manage their risk of contracting Covid-19, as it saw increased numbers of patients flocking to its hospitals amid the second wave.
Mediclinic said the second wave has resulted in strong demand for care in the southern and western Cape and other areas.
The group said it was now clear that the number of patients seeking care at their hospitals in the Western Cape was exceeding the first wave period, adding that demand for their intensive care units and intensive care units had reached capacity. .
“In the last month, Mediclinic has seen an increase from fewer than 100 patients admitted with Covid-19 to more than 500 patients within its facilities in the Western Cape, including the Garden Route,” it said in a statement Saturday.
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The group’s measures come in the wake of a new variant of the coronavirus, which could mean more people are being infected than the initial surge.
News24 reported Friday that the new variant, called 501.V2, which has between 10 and 20 new mutations, was found by genomic scientists across the country, who have been analyzing genetic samples of the virus since the start of the pandemic.
Mediclinic said the dramatic increase in numbers in the Western Cape put great pressure on available healthcare resources, including the staff, equipment and beds available to provide intensive treatment to seriously ill patients.
“In an effort to manage the growing demand, Mediclinic has already increased the number of beds available to help Covid-19 patients, we have reallocated key resources to hotspots and provided additional training to improve the skills of nursing staff from other units to help in areas, such as the ICU and high care, “he said.
However, the group said it was important to note that not all Covid-19 patients required ICU or ventilation, and that many admitted patients were successfully treated with supplemental oxygen and other supportive treatment modalities.
“While this situation remains fluid and is frequently evaluated, we emphasize the need for the public to monitor their own health and adjust their behavior to manage their risk and reduce their risk of coronavirus infection.”
As of Friday, the cumulative number of Covid-19 cases in South Africa was 901,538, with 8,725 new cases. The number of deaths was 24,285.
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