Second Netcare hospital closing in KZN

THE KwaZulu-Natal health department is monitoring another Netcare hospital, which is said to have stopped taking in new patients after discovering a Covid-19 case in one of its wards.

The discovery of a patient with the coronavirus infection at Kingsway

Hospital in eManzimtoti, south of Durban, has shocked staff members, with National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) calling for Netcare to be transparent about how many employees and patients of the hospital have been infected.

This is Netcare’s second hospital to be forced to cancel new patient intake after St Augustine’s in Durban had to temporarily close most of its sections after testing 66 people, including 48 staff members. Of those tested positive, one had already died.

KZN health spokesperson Agiza Hlongwane said the department had noted with “extreme worry” the closure of Kingsway Hospital.

“We have sent a team of senior departmental officials to investigate what has transpired, and establish how the hospital is managing the situation.

“These latest developments will also form part of the ongoing investigation involving St Augustine’s Hospital,” Hlongwane pointed out.