St Augustine’s and Kingsway hospitals to reopen after Covid-19 outbreak in April

Netcare St Augustine’s and Netcare Kingsway hospitals have been given the green light to reopen, the private hospital group said on Saturday.

In a statement, Netcare said the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Health (DOH) gave permission on Friday for both hospitals to reopen.

“Since Netcare St Augustine’s and Netcare Kingsway hospitals were closed for new patient admissions in April, Netcare has been engaging and working closely, and on an ongoing basis, with the KZN DOH on all matters pertaining to Covid-19 at the hospitals as well as planning for their reopening,” said Craig Murphy, coastal regional director of Netcare hospitals.

Four people died in a Covid-19 outbreak at St Augustine’s Hospital and 47 staff members tested positive.

The group previously said 33 of the 47 staffers were self-isolating and the remaining 14 were being “accommodated” at Netcare’s facility “to ensure they are able to safely self-quarantine”.

Netcare Kingsway Hospital in Amanzimtoti was closed after 10 staff members tested positive for Covid-19 after exposure at the hospital was traced to a patient.

The hospitals are expected to open on Monday.

“Last week, the hospitals had already further enhanced their disinfecting and decontaminating programmes of all the facilities on their premises. Doctors at Netcare St Augustine’s and Netcare Kingsway hospitals will also again be consulting from their rooms as from Monday,” Murphy said.

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