A NURSE at a local hospital is among the three new Covid-19
positive cases confirmed on Monday and investigations are underway to establish
how she got the virus since she had no recent history of travel or known
contact with a confirmed case.
The nurse, only identified as case number 15, is a
34-year-old female resident of Bulawayo.
According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the
patient had no recent history of travel or known contact with a confirmed case
but her case was picked during a routine screening procedure.
Her positive tests were confirmed at the National
Tuberculosis (TB) Reference Laboratory at Mpilo Central Hospital which is
working in conjunction with the National University of Science and Technology’s
(Nust) Applied Genetic Testing Centre (AGTC).
Bulawayo’s Covid-19 positive cases have increased to five
while the national figure stands at 17 including three deaths.
Patient 15’s case remains a puzzle.
Bulawayo City Council (BCC) health services director Dr
Edwin Sibanda, said the patient is a nurse but refused to disclose the hospital
she works from.
Dr Sibanda said the provincial health workers are still
tracing her contacts in order to establish who she might have contracted the
virus from.
“She is a health worker in one of our local hospitals but
we cannot disclose much on her at the moment and where she works as we don’t
want to cause unnecessary alarm. We are following up on her contacts while she
is self-isolating at home. We are also yet to communicate with the relevant
officials regarding her case,” said Dr Sibanda.
He said as a nurse, it does not necessarily follow that she
got the virus from her work place.
Dr Sibanda, however, admitted that the case brings to the
spotlight concerns raised over protective clothing for health care workers.
“Obviously the issue of PPE is of paramount importance. But
we have to be clear that health workers are not just exposed when they are in
their work stations. They can be exposed at home. The virus just like HIV or TB
can infect the health workers outside their work stations,” said Dr Sibanda.
He said the nurse had not been in contact with a
79-year-old man, Ian Hyslop, who lived at Qalisa Retirement Village before his
death at Mater Dei Hospital, making him the first person to succumb to the
virus in the city.
Dr Sibanda said during yesterday’s local rapid response
team meeting, it was resolved that everyone living at Qalisa should be tested. 124 people live at that home.
“We actually discussed that issue in our today’s morning
meeting. That we should consider testing everyone staying at Qalisa.
“We also discussed the issue of disinfecting the place but
it’s something that we are yet to finalise on,” said Dr Sibanda.
He said they cannot quantify in terms of funds, how much
would be required to conduct each test and disinfecting the village as
Government is always providing the resources for the processes. Chronicle
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