12 COVID-19+ AT GOOD SHEPHERD, MANAGER PASSES ON

MBABANE – The raging effects of COVID-19 are being felt as the administration block at Good Shepherd Mission Hospital (GSMH) has been closed indefinitely following that 12 staff members tested positive for the virus.

According to the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Muzi Dlamini, a senior manager from the 12 who tested positive on Sunday, died yesterday morning. She succumbed to a COVID-19-related illness. Dlamini is also in isolation after he tested positive, together with the rest of the administration staff. The identity of the deceased senior official will not be revealed for now as her immediate family could not be reached for comment last night.

Testing

The CEO said testing took place on Sunday after some members of staff exhibited symptoms of the virus. The results came back on Monday and that was when it was confirmed that some members of staff had contracted the virus.  “Yes, the administration block is closed, but services are not interrupted. I can confirm that 27 staff members were tested on Sunday morning and yesterday (Monday) for COVID-19. We have since lost one senior manager after she tested positive and 12 others are in isolation, including myself. We had to stop everything and are currently in isolation. I am so disturbed about this. We are under attack. We had to close down everything (within the administration block), but ensure the nursing staff and doctors continue to work under strict conditions of observing all the health regulations,” Dlamini said. While in isolation, Dlamini said the hospital’s Senior Medical Officer (SMO) Dr Kiron Koshy was acting on his behalf.

When the SMO was contacted, he mentioned that he would be able to comment today as he was still busy attending to patients. “I am a bit busy today (yesterday). Please send me a questionnaire. I am currently attending to patients and do not have time to attend to your matter,” the SMO said. Just last week, a long-serving doctor at the Mbabane Government Hospital, Dr Austin Ezeogu, died of a COVID-19-related illness. He met his death at the Lubombo Referral Hospital where he was admitted.

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