Morningside Mediclinic has reported that 90 people linked to the hospital have tested positive for the novel Covid-19 virus.
In a statement on 24 April, Mediclinic Southern Africa’s chief clinical officer Dr Stefan Smuts confirmed that following the initial identification of a staff member that tested positive, close to 1 000 staff members have been tested.
“In total, 11 patients, 37 healthcare workers, 33 supporting staff members and nine allied health professionals have tested positive. All associated doctors at the hospital tested negative,” he said.
Smuts added that all of the staff members in question are currently in isolation and will remain so until they have fully recovered.
This increase in cases follows the hospital’s decision to close to new admissions after 12 staff members initially tested positive for the coronavirus.
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“All staff who tested positive as well as their high-risk contacts were stepped down from duty and followed up on a regular basis until they are either fully recovered or cleared for duty.”
The hospital has extended its period of closure of new admissions to 27 April as part of its containment plan.
“This will allow us to conduct a further detailed period of assessment and deep sanitation in accordance with the necessary protocols.”
Smuts concluded, “As the safety of our patients, staff and doctors is our number one priority, Mediclinic acted swiftly in order to mitigate the risk to all involved and we can assure the community that we have established procedures relating to staff exposure, the risk thereof and testing.”
Morningside Mediclinic is one of the group’s biggest hospitals in Johannesburg.
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