THERE is panic among nurses at United Bulawayo Hospitals
(UBH) after a man died of suspected COVID-19 at the health institution on
Saturday morning.
The man, who reportedly exhibited symptoms synonymous with
the dreaded virus, was admitted in Forrester Ward, where he reportedly died on
Saturday.
The matter was, however, reportedly being swept under the
carpet by some senior health officials, although the Bulawayo City Council was
summoned to fumigate the ward and the hospital’s morgue on the same day.
The man, who reportedly travelled to Dubai, last month had
his specimen taken and results were reportedly not yet released.
UBH chief executive Nonhlanhla Ndlovu said she was out of
town and was not aware of the issue.
“ … I’m out of town. You can contact the acting CEO, Dr
(Narcisius) Dzvanga,” Ndlovu said.
However, Dzvanga initially dispelled the issue, saying the
fumigation was done at the mortuary after housing a COVID-19 body, that of case
11, a 79-year-old man who died at the Catholic-run Mater Dei Hospital last
week, the third recorded death in the country.
“Not to my knowledge and I am the acting CEO and clinical
director. We haven’t had a case of the dreaded COVID-19. Possibly at the
mortuary as we housed the deceased, a positive case from Mater Dei,” he said.
However, moments later, he confirmed that they admitted a
suspected COVID-19 case.
“Just confirmed you are correct, but the Forrester Ward was
disinfected as a precautionary measure. Otherwise, the case tested negative,”
he said.
“My most profound apologies, I wasn’t informed of this
activity at all. I thank you for bringing that to my attention.”
A source said there was a suspected death of coronavirus at
the health institution.
“The patient died yesterday (Saturday) in Forrester Ward,
so they are waiting for the results. If they come out positive, we are all in
trouble. They are saying results are not yet out and the patient had visited
Dubai last month,” the source said.
She said the nursing staff was afraid to attend to him for
fear of being exposed to the virus without proper protective clothing.
“Sisters at Forrester Ward were afraid of him. He was
shouting and shouting, but they were too scared to go there. He died on
Saturday early morning in Forrester Ward. The mortuary and the Ward were
fumigated by the city council,” she said.
Bulawayo recorded its first COVID-19 death after a
79-year-old man got into a contact with a visitor from the United Kingdom and
died on April 4 at Mater Dei Hospital, becoming the third recorded death in the
country.
Forty seven of his contacts have so far been traced.
Newsday
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