Times Of Swaziland: ANOTHER ORDERLY TESTS POSITIVE

ANOTHER ORDERLY TESTS POSITIVE
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  BY JOSEPH ZULU  on 03/06/2020 02:26:00


PIGG’S PEAK – Yet another orderly, this time stationed at the Pigg’s Peak
Government Hospital, has tested positive for COVID-19.
Two other orderlies from the Mbabane Government Hospital also recently tested
positive for COVID-19 and are currently undergoing treatment.
The orderly from Pigg’s Peak was tested after showing flu-like symptoms.
His results showed that he was positive.
Staff members at the hospital were informed about the positive results on
Monday, resulting in many of them demanding to be tested as well, as they had
interacted with their colleague.
They were, however, advised that only those who were in close contact with the
orderly would be tested.
Hospital orderlies perform duties that include cleaning, working as porters,
carrying items from one area to another.  They also assist nurses in carrying
out duties.
The orderlies also have the responsibility of making up beds for patients.
According to some of the workers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the
orderly was unable to tell where he may have contracted the virus from.
“It could be from anyone within the hospital and maybe many others are
infected yet are unaware,” said a medical officer.
This, according to some of the orderlies, put them at high risk of contracting
the virus. The orderly who tested positive was not at work yesterday.
Isolation
It was gathered that several other medical personnel were requested to go into
isolation following the positive results of the orderly.
These included nurses and other orderlies. Many officials stationed at the
Out-Patient Department (OPD), Laboratory and the X-Ray Department, were put in
quarantine.
The exact number of people who had been put into quarantine could not be
ascertained as many were still being taken in yesterday afternoon.
Several patients were also turned back yesterday after they could not be
attended to as the OPD was temporarily closed. Only emergencies were being
attended to. Workers from the Ministry of Health were also found at the hospital
fumigating the affected areas.
An officer revealed that this was the fourth time the hospital was being
fumigated.
Noteworthy is that, a doctor who tested positive had visited the Pigg’s Peak
Government Hospital, where he interacted with another doctor at the Maternity
Ward.
This caused uneasiness among some medical personnel, who complained that they
were still going about their duties as per usual despite that a COVID-19
positive person had been to the hospital.
Director of Health Services, Dr Vusi Magagula, said general procedures of what
needed to be done when one tested positive were followed.
“That includes disinfection and quarantine of contacts. All the necessary
steps continue to be taken to ensure safety of all who use the facility,” said
Magagula.