Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital not shut down after patient tested positive for Covid-19

The Gauteng government gave an update on the maternity unit at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, confirming that a patient tested positive for Covid-19 but the ward was not shut down after the confirmed case.

In a statement, the provincial government said that due to the coronavirus other wards within the maternity unit had to be dedicated to pregnant women who were suspected to have Covid-19, while the other wards were dedicated to confirmed cases.

“This has reduced capacity of the general unit beds leading to delays in the allocation of beds for those patients who are admitted selectively,” it said.

The hospital did have a confirmed case of Covid-19 which required the facility to be cleared for disinfecting. This caused extra pressure on bed capacity for maternity and patients were only allocated beds after disinfecting was completed.

The provincial government confirmed after that, another patient had tested positive for Covid-19 in one of the wards at Chris Hani Baragwanath: “The facility was never shut down at any point. Services continued to be rendered.”

On the evening of the confirmed case, there were 41 deliveries, 19 C-sections and 22 normal deliveries in the maternity ward.

“The whole ward had to be placed under quarantine in line with Covid-19 protocols,” the Gauteng government said.

(Compiled by Sandisiwe Mbhele)