This follows after two patients from Ward 3 and 4  at the hospital earlier tested positive for Covid-19. 

MEC for Health in the province, Madoda Sambatha, made the announcement during a media briefing in Potchefstroom on Friday where he stated that out the 100 patients who tested positive, 81 are from Ward 3, and 19 are from Ward 4. 

He also announced that two staff members who tested positive for the virus reside in Gauteng and travel between the two provinces. 

Sambatha says amongst the measures to address the outbreak at the hospital, the clinical management of positive patients will be separated from those who tested negative.  

 "The first case [at] the hospital was [recorded] on the 10th June 2020 and following this first case, heads of various departments at the hospital, the task team and Ward 3 staff members were all informed of the Index Case.

"Line listing of the index case commenced immediately and was followed up according to the guideline for symptom monitoring and management of essential workers for Covid-19 related infections," adds Sambatha.

Some of the employees are said to have conducted their tests through a private laboratory and results came back negative which then created anxiety amongst staff.  

During this briefing, Sambatha announced that samples were taken from 238 people, which included staff members.  

"This was prompted by the nature of patients and the inability to maintain social distancing and wearing of masks," he adds.

Amongst other measures to be taken includes a 55-bed isolation ward which will be prepared with a supply of oxygen as a matter of urgency.

"For patients that need to be transferred to other facilities, treatment sites in Potchefstroom, Tshepong and Westvaal hospitals will be utilised. The outbreak response team will function under the CEO and will have two members each from the Hospital Board and Labour.  All families will be informed individually by the clinical management team of the test results and clinical management plan,"  Sambatha further adds.

Meanwhile, according to the latest statistics by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, the province has 1 578 active cases after 175 patients recovered from the virus, and 5 deaths were recorded from the 1 758 reported cases.

 OFM News