People still catching Covid-19 in hospitals
PEOPLE are still contracting coronavirus in hospitals in nearly all parts of Wales, new figures have shown.
In total, 25 cases of coronavirus in the last week were identified in hospital patients, with the majority of those having been in hospital so long there is no doubt that is where they contracted the virus.
The biggest problem is in the north of the country, where 11 cases of coronavirus in the last week were definitely caused by transmission within hospitals. A further four cases were probably contracted in hospital and two may have been.
But the problem is not limited to the north and Wrexham Maelor hospital, which has been at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak in Wales in recent weeks – with all 12 Welsh deaths over a recent seven-day period being in the hospital.
The following areas all saw cases of coronavirus that were definitely or probably contracted in hospital
■ Cardiff and Vale: 2 cases definitely contracted in hospital, 1 probable
■ Cwm Taf: 2 definite
■ Aneurin Bevan: 1 definite
■ Swansea Bay: 1 definite
■ Hywel Dda: 1 possible
■ Powys: 0 cases in hospital A definite case of hospital transmission is classed as someone who tests positive after having been in hospital for more than a fortnight, meaning they could only have contracted it in that time.
A probable case is someone who contracts Covid-19 after having been in hospital for a week, meaning it is likely they would have caught the virus in hospital
A possible, or indeterminate case, is someone who tests positive between two and seven days after entering hospital – meaning it is possible they caught it in hospital, but not conclusive.
In north Wales 18% of the 95 cases of Covid-19 identified in the Betsi Cadwaldr health board in the last week were people who tested positive while in hospital.
At the beginning of the crisis, Welsh hospitals were a hot bed of coronavirus transmission, with 10% of all cases originating within them. Most stemmed from a combination of high numbers of patients and chronic PPE shortages. However, with plenty of testing capacity and PPE now, people are questioning why this is still able to happen?
There have been reports from staff at Wexham Maelor Hospital that Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board de-escalated a couple of the Covid units as the demand dropped with staff sent back to work on clean wards without being tested.
A director at the health board had said the reason routine screening is not in place for staff is because Public Health Wales guidance states staff are to be tested when they show symptoms of Covid-19.
There have been a serious human cost to this hospital transmission. In July WalesOnline spoke to a woman whose mother had caught the virus in the hospital after she was exposed to a Covid patient. She was then discharged without a test, only to be readmitted and die a few days later.
According to the health board new measures taken to reduce hospital transmissions include:
■ Instigated universal screening for all patients on wards where we may or have had a Covid-19 positive patient
■ Screening every patient admitted to Wrexham Maelor Hospital.
■ All patients who test positive are appropriately isolated and all infection prevention and control measures are in place.
■ All staff have access to the appropriate PPE, and staff who have worked in an environment where we have a confirmed positive cluster have also been tested, in accordance with national guidance.
Gill Harris, Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: “We know that coming to hospital at the present time might cause our patients some anxiety and worry. We would like to reassure our communities that the safety of our staff and patients is our key priority.
“As such we have taken the decision to actively encourage the wearing of face coverings, or face masks, for all staff and patients in the public or communal areas of our hospitals.
“Evidence has shown that people infected with Covid-19 can have very mild or no respiratory symptoms and can transmit the virus to others without being aware, so it is important that we take steps to reduce the risk of transmission.
“We want the safest possible environment for our patients and visitors and we will be taking extra steps to ensure social distancing and encouraging the use of hand sanitisers on entering and leaving the hospital.”
Though cases of hospital transmission are still high in Betsi Cadwaladr, there has been a downward trend over the last week.
Welsh Conservative shadow health minister, Andrew RT Davies MS, called on the Government to use the Nightingale hospitals to increase capacity.
He said: “We’ve had numerous reports of patients going into hospital for non-Covid related issues and yet finding themselves on Covid wards or being placed near people showing symptoms, and that’s simply unacceptable.
“If space is a problem in Welsh hospitals then ministers need to deploy the Nightingale hospitals which were built specifically by the Welsh Labour Government to ensure our NHS could cope with the pressures of coronavirus.
“Our amazing NHS staff are doing their best to keep patients safe but Labour ministers now need to do the same and also introduce mandatory face masks in health care settings.”