Several nurses at Linksfield Netcare Hospital in Orange Grove, Johannesburg, have reportedly contracted COVID-19. News24 reports that according to one of those who tested positive, at least 15 had their results come back positive. The nurse alleges that deep cleaning had not taken place at the facility and, while they were in isolation, nurses from agencies were outsourced to run the ICU. He added that keeping the unit open was problematic and worrying to them because "clearly there is a problem with the ICU itself".
News24 quotes hospital management as saying that it was the hospital's policy not to provide details on how many staff members were affected. "In consultation with staff members at the hospital, we decided to implement preventative surveillance screening after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19, which is believed to have been community-acquired. We have been extremely vigilant and have acted with an abundance of caution in preventing the spread.
"Based on (the) World Health Organisation's risk grading of exposure, the hospital is in full adherence of Netcare as well as the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the Department of Health guidelines for the testing, quarantine and isolation of all affected staff members," hospital general manager Dr Louis van der Hoven said.
The hospital said in the report the facility had been deep cleaned and disinfected, and remains open and operational, with doctors and staff members being kept informed of the situation. It has also introduced additional precautionary measures, including tracking, tracing and testing of everyone who may have been in contact with the affected staffers.
Van Der Hoven said 14 days of monitoring and self-isolation for staff, who tested positive, were also in place. "Netcare will provide assistance where required, and retesting once this quarantine period is completed.
[link url="https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/joburg-hospital-taking-precautions-after-several-nurses-test-positive-for-covid-19-20200626"]Full News24 report[/link]