[ad_1]
Staff of all grades in a Covid-19 unit at Cork University Hospital are on sick leave after contracting the virus or while waiting for test results, it has been revealed.
A text message from a senior CUH physician informed Cork GPs that unit staff are not ill with Covid-19 and several are also awaiting test results.
The staff is based on the Acute Medical Assessment Unit (AU), which has been used to house Covid-19 cases. As a result, the unit cannot be used for evaluations due to concerns of further contamination and CUH outpatient appointments will be moved to online platforms only when possible.
In a text message to GPs, the CUH’s chief physician said the hospital is “congested.”
“We have reviewed and admitted and discharged a large number of Covid-19 patients. A proportion of the staff of all grades at the AMU are now on sick leave due to confirmed Covid-19 while others await swabs, etc.
“The assessment area has been used to host / address Covid-19 cases and cannot be used for assessment due to the risk of cross infection,” the doctor said, adding that all patients are therefore being routed. and evaluated through a single center in the Emergency Department.
“We will continue to receive calls from GPs, but we have to prioritize support for the GP assessment center and the assessment of acutely ill patients who need hospitalization,” the doctor said.
“For the moment, our outpatient clinics, whenever possible, will be virtual for the above reason. We will inform you as the situation evolves ”, concluded the doctor.
The South / South West Hospital Group has been contacted.
The text message comes when 118 new cases were confirmed in Cork last night.
[ad_2]