Gauteng hospital bed capacity still healthy

Gauteng has revealed that it still has sufficient hospital beds available for Covid-19 patients amid South Africa’s second wave of infections.

Gauteng was among the four provinces experiencing a surge in Covid-19 cases, however, modellers have said the province had not as yet reached a peak in infections and could possibly see the rise in January.

The provincial government spokesperson Thabo Masebe said the number of hospital admissions in Gauteng had not increased substantially despite the ongoing second wave.

READ MORE: Tshwane seeing steady increase in Covid-19 hospital admissions

“We do have capacity. The latest count is around 11,000 beds in private and public [hospitals]. You have to look at the number of admissions.

“The current admissions in relation to Covid-19 is just over 2000 all the hospitals both hospitals public and private,” Masebe said.

On Wednesday, Gauteng health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi visited Nasrec field hospital to assess its readiness for the second wave.

The facility was set up earlier this year in an effort to help take pressure off local hospitals should the number of patients become too large.

As of 23 December, Gauteng’s Covid-19 figures stood at 259,962 with deaths at 5226 being recorded in the process.

ALSO READ: Western Cape concerned about Covid-19 infection rate of healthcare workers

Meanwhile, the Eastern Cape and the Garden Route in the Western Cape were said to be experiencing shortages in hospital beds, with patients needing to be moved by emergency services to other parts of the country, according to Discovery Health’s findings.

Compiled by Molefe Seeletsa

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