‘We are going to take major steps’: Zikalala wants thorough probe into St Augustine’s

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala wants the investigation into how Covid-19 spread so quickly through Saint Augustine’s Hospital in Durban to be measured and thorough after half of all virus-related deaths in KZN occurred at the facility.

On Wednesday, Netcare CEO Richard Friedland said 47 staff members have tested positive for the virus.

The hospital has closed its doors to new patients as an investigation into the status of the remaining patients is continuing.

On Thursday, Zikalala said: “Regarding the investigation, we hope it will be expedited. We don’t want to rush things and say we will take these [types of] actions without a proper investigation. Let there be an investigation. Once that happens, a decision will be taken.”

He was addressing a large contingent of media at King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi where he went on a walkabout to distribute hand sanitisers and other products which was sponsored by big business.

Zikalala warned the KZN government was not taking the matter at the hospital lightly.

“We are going to take major steps. The investigation is already on.”

Zikalala said the government was in contact with the hospital’s management.

“We have taken a decision to not admit new patients and therefore no one is coming in. We have taken a view that patients there must be screened and tested. They must not only be screened, they must be tested.”

He said all discharged patients have been tested.

“We will then know the number of people infected. We then quarantine them either there or in another hospital. The [health] department is working on that.”

Majority of deaths in KZN from St Augustine’s

Five of the nine Covid-19-related deaths have occurred at the hospital, with Friedland previously saying 33 of the 47 infected staff members were self-isolating. Fourteen are being “accommodated” at Netcare’s facility “to ensure they are able to safely self-quarantine”.

Professor Salim Karim, a special adviser to the minister of health, would, together with a team of epidemiology and infectious diseases specialists from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, investigate the underlying cause and nature of the outbreak at Saint Augustine’s, News24 reported.

Fifteen patients tested positive and have been accommodated at the hospital. One of them has since recovered and tested negative.

The hospital is now in the process of contacting all patients, who have been treated in its emergency department since 1 March, to determine if they require testing.

The hospital shut its emergency unit on 2 April after staff members were found to have contracted the coronavirus.

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