Please click here, here and here for pictures and here for a soundbite by Mariette Pittaway MPL.
National Government confirmed that the South Africans living in Wuhan will be repatriated. There have been reports indicating that the returnees might be quarantined in Thaba Nchu. The Minister of Health, Dr Zwelini Mkhize, did not confirm this.
But what if there are positive test cases of COVID-19 in the Free State?
The DA in the Free State, after learning that the Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital was identified as the treatment centre for positive test cases of Covid-19, conducted oversight at the facility.
Treating a patient with Covid-19 is complex. Patients must be individually isolated. All staff in close contact with the patient must wear “personal protective equipment” (PPE), which consists of, as a minimum, a tight-fitting face mask, an extra gown, gloves, goggles and visor. It will not only be the medical staff who are at risk. Hospital cleaners must be on duty at all times and rigorous cleaning is required after medical procedures. Other medical specialists, laboratory technicians, physiotherapists, etc. will also be at risk.
Upon arrival at the Isolation Unit, there was a hive of activity as cleaners were busy cleaning the unit. No other staff, medical or administration, were in the unit. We were informed that they were all summoned to a very urgent meeting.
There are two High Risk Isolation Units with one bed each, sharing a bathroom and 15 one-bedded rooms in the unit. We could not confirm the availability of PPEs as there were no staff available.
The DA will continue to monitor the state of readiness of this institution in preparation for positive test cases of COVID-19 in the Free State.