Hdorp Hospital closed – 35 staff are Covid-19 positive

At least 35 Humandorp staff have been affected with the coronavirus and the hospital is now closed.

The casualty department is, however, still open for emergency cases.

There are two doctors currently on duty. All other patients need to go to Kareedouw Hospital.

St Francis Chronicle has confirmed that at least one St Francis Bay patient (who did not have the virus) has been turned away from Humansdorp Hospital and sent  to Kareedouw.

The above figure of 35 includes nurses and admin staff working at the hospital number and members of a cleaning company working at the hospital.

This is according to an official press release St Francis Chronicle received this morning from the EC Department of Health.

“We are now looking into the situation.

Risk Analysis has been done and the decontamination process is already underway.”

The department said it will continue to assess the situation. “Our priority is to ensure those affected by the virus receive support. At the same time we need to balance that with getting the hospital back to normal.”

St Francis Chronicle has also reliably learned that another reason for the closure of the hospital was that all non-positive staff refused to work at the hospital until the hospital has been decontaminated and sanitised.

The Health Department also said it is currently conducting meetings with Kouga Municipality. The municipality is trying to assist and accelerate all processes, so that services can continue, once protocols have been followed, the health department added.