Durban - Private hospital group, Netcare, has apologised to expectant mothers who had booked beds at their facilities which have been temporarily closed due to staff and patients testing positive for Covid-19.
"Pregnant women who are due to deliver in the near future should contact their obstetricians to discuss alternative options at other Netcare or non-Netcare hospitals. Again, we offer our sincere apologies that we are currently unable to care for these expectant mothers and for them having to make alternative arrangements unexpectedly," the group said on Monday.
Earlier on Monday, the group announced that the Parklands Hospital had temporarily closed its emergency department.
Netcare Hospitals regional director Craig Murphy on Sunday said Parklands Hospital was open and operating, but the emergency department, located inside the hospital, was currently being relocated to a new area and was therefore temporarily closed for emergency cases.
Parklands was the third Netcare hospital to have closed its emergency department after sister hospitals, St Augustine's and Kingsway.
On Monday, Netcare announced that ten staff members to date have tested positive for Covid-19 at Kingsway Hospital.
Last week the private hospital announced a partial closure of the facility after a patient with Covid-19 tested positive at the hospital on April 8.