16 coronavirus cases leads to closure of KZN hospital
A rapid outbreak of Covid-19 has led to the closure of General Justice Gizenga Memorial Hospital in KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal.
The 16 confirmed cases at the facility, formerly known as Stanger Hospital, include nine mothers, two babies, four doctors and one nurse.
KZN health spokesperson Noluthando Nkosi says the first case involved a mother who did not disclose that her husband tested positive for Covid-19.
“She was housed at a boarder mothers' lodge at the hospital, where other mothers soon tested positive.
“All of the hospital's laboratory confirmed COVID-19 positive staff and patients have been isolated, and all protocols for contact mapping, tracing, testing, quarantine and isolation have been followed, in compliance with guidelines from the World Health Organisation.”
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The hospital, which had been treating 219 patients at the time, has now been turned into a quarantine site.
It has been closed for new admissions.
“All staff and patients in the surgical ward and ICU have been tested.
“The remaining staff and patients were tested on Monday and others will be tested on Tuesday," says Nkosi.
KwaZulu-Natal has the third highest number of Covid-19 cases after the Western Cape and Gauteng.
It is currently sitting at 1106 infections and 35 recorded deaths.
President Cyril Ramaphosa will be in the province on Tuesday to assess its Covid-19 facilities.