Staff members of Mediclinic Bloemfontein have been quarantined after 19 reported cases of Covid-19 at the facility. The positive cases of the virus include 13 nurses and 6 support staff members, including cleaners, catering and admin personnel.
According to Free State Health spokesperson, Mondli Mvambi, the affected staff worked in one ward of the hospital, which has not reopened yet has been decontaminated. “As the winter season intensifies, so does Covid-19 cases increase. We can confirm that there are about 19 members of staff at Mediclinic Bloemfontein who have tested positive to Covid19 and have been sent away for isolation. The affected Ward T High Care has been decontaminated and should be back to full operation in the shortest possible time,” he said.
The department is presently undergoing a contact tracing operation following the breakout that has taken place in the biggest private hospital in the province. Mvambi appealed to health care workers in particular to take special precautions in order to prevent any further infections.
“Everyone must follow the basic health guidelines and procedures for infection prevention and control by wearing your face masks, washing your hands regularly with running water and soap, sanitising hands with alcohol-based hand sanitisers, keeping social distance as well as covering your cough and sneeze with a flexed elbow as well as avoiding any physical contact such as handshaking and hugging,” he explained.
“Each one of us must ensure that we take personal responsibility to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” added Mvambi. –
Nomaqhawe Mtebele
