Khayelitsha’s Covid-19 field hospital is now closed, as MSF moves facility to the Eastern Cape

Cape Town - Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has revealed that the Khayelitsha Thusong Centre has been closed as the number of new cases in Khayelitsha have decreased over time.

The 60-bed Khayelitsha Thusong Centre opened in June and was sponsored by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in partnership with the Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town.

The premier said that the facility played an important part in the fight against Covid-19, with 241 Covid-19 patients who required medical care being admitted to the field hospital.

“MSF have been an amazing partner in this response, and have provided a wonderful service to the people of Khayelitsha.

“Now, it’s been broken down and it’s going to be moved to the Eastern Cape - and we support that move. It’s also a bit of a bittersweet feeling because it was such an amazing facility,” Winde said.

“The great is that it can be broken down because the numbers are dropping here in Khayelitsha. As they are, also dropping across the province, and now our focus is back to the economy.”

Today we have officially closed our Khayelitsha Thusong #COVID19 Field Hospital because the metro has passed its peak and @MSF will now assist other provinces 🏥 @WesternCapeGov @WestCapeHealth pic.twitter.com/NF1mLDqLGT

— Premier Alan Winde (@alanwinde) August 12, 2020

The premier added that over the past few weeks, there has been a flattening in some of the key indicators of infections in the Western Cape, while increases are seen elsewhere in the country.

“MSF will now extend their support to other provinces where the need is bigger. Thank you to everyone involved in this facility,” Winde said.

Cape Argus