10 Good Shepherd staff positive

SITEKI – With the fourth wave taking its toll and figures rising, over 10 Good Shepherd Catholic Hospital (GSCH) staff tested positive for COVID-19 this week alone.

According to one of the affected staff members, who asked to comment anonymously, four employees tested positive in her department.

“I am at home after testing positive. I exhibited symptomps and my supervisor told me to go and test. I established that other four in my department have also tested positive and were in isolation,” she said.

The employee said the hospital had since enforced the preventative measures by screening every visitor and patients as well as the staff during operating hours. “We have been sensitised to wash our hands and sanitise at all times because this variant is spreading fast,” added the staff member.

GSCH Communications Officer Zwelakhe Moahloli confirmed that they had staff members who tested positive for COVID-19 and were currently in isolation. Moahloli said they were affected as a health facility like any other institution with the currently notable surge in infection rate in the country.

He said the hospital management had since restrategised and reinforced its COVID-19 preventative measures among its staff and patients.

“I can confirm that we have members of staff who tested positive even though I do not have the exact figures. We are affected like any other institution, however, we have since put into force the adherence to the preventative measures to ensure that our staff and patients are aware and safe from contracting the virus,” he said. Worth mentioning is that some healthcare workers at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital have also tested positive for COVID-19. At this hospital, over five tested positive for COVID-19. RFM Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ben Simelane confirmed that his hospital was also affected by the surge in infection rate.

Simelane said the virus was spreading fast.

Sensitised

The CEO said his staff was sensitised in avoiding crowded places as well as wearing masks properly in public spaces. “I can confirm that we have members of staff who tested positive and exceed five, however, I am yet to compile the figures. We are currently making sure that we provide enough PPE and observe the COVID-19 protocols as the variant is spreading fast,” he said.

Director of Health Services Dr Vusi Magagula said they had since received reports to the effect that a number of health facilities were recording an increase of COVID-19 infections.

Dr Magagula said health institutions should reinforce the COVID-19 preventative measures to ensure that they protected staff and patients from the virus. He said it had been observed that the infection rate was spreading fast and a number of healthcare workers were reported to be in isolation. He also appealed to the nation to continue visiting vaccination sites.