Durban - KINGSWAY Hospital, in eManzimtoti,
has become the second Netcare hospital to close its doors after exposure to
Covid-19.
The Health Department and unions have expressed concern about exposure to the virus at the hospital.
On Wednesday, the hospital temporarily closed for new admissions and the emergency department was closed to outpatients from Tuesday. Emergencies are being diverted.
Netcare regional director Craig Murphy said the exposure was traced to a patient with a suspected stroke, admitted to the hospital through the emergency department on April 4.
The patient was assessed and screened for Covid-19 symptoms and exposure according to Netcare protocol, which was aligned to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) guidelines, he said. The patient did not exhibit any signs of the virus, and on questioning his family no symptoms or exposure risks were reported.
Murphy said the patient’s general practitioner said they were treating the patient for flu-like symptoms. Although the patient was asymptomatic, the treating specialist requested a Covid-19 test and the patient was kept in isolation. The patient’s results revealed he had tested positive for Covid-19.
“We embarked on contact tracing - to identify all nurses, doctors, paramedics, support staff and contract service providers in the hospital who may have had contact with the patient in question. Health care and other workers who have been exposed to the patient were asked to home quarantine and self-monitor. Most of the identified contacts have been tested for Covid-19, the remainder of the exposed persons will be tested in the next few days. All potentially exposed patients were also tested,” said Murphy.
He said those tested for the virus had been kept in isolation, and a deep cleaning and decontamination process was started.
Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu said the decision by hospital management - to close the facility - was “extremely worrying”.
“We have sent a team of senior departmental officials to investigate what has transpired, and ascertain how the hospital is managing the situation,” said Simelane-Zulu.
“These latest developments will also form part of the ongoing investigation involving St Augustine’s Hospital, which is owned by the same hospital group.”
She said the department would continue to monitor the situation, and expected consequence management if any negligence was found.
Yesterday, representatives from the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa), National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu), SACP and SA Medical Association (Sama), visited the hospital and engaged with management.
Speaking for the delegation, Denosa KZN secretary Mandla Shabangu said they were not happy with their meeting because management did not reveal how many others had been tested and how many tested positive among staff and patients.
“We are worried because our members are working in this hospital. They have been interacting with one another and interacting with the patients. If we do not know how many tested positive, then all of them must be taken through thorough screening and testing,” Shabangu said.
He said they had not expected a Covid-19 outbreak in the private sector because the perception was that private hospitals offered the best nursing care, protection and cleanliness.
“The reality is that it has been proven that this is the second Netcare hospital with a similar problem,” said Shabangu.
Two weeks ago, St Augustine’s Hospital was placed under lockdown, after an outbreak of Covid-19 at the facility.
More than 60 staff and patients tested positive for the virus - after four patients died from Covid-19-related complications at the hospital.