‘Tshwane mental health facilities safe despite infections’
The Gauteng Department of Health has assured families and communities that psychiatric facilities are operating as safely as possible despite recording a combined 168 Covid-19 infections.
Spokesperson Kwara Kekana said contracted facilities as well as four of the department’s specialised mental health facilities – Weskoppies, Sterkfontein, Tara H Moross Psychiatric Hospital and Cullinan Care and Rehabilitation Centre – were affected by the pandemic.
At Weskoppies in the city, 19 patients out of 699 tested positive for Covid-19. Of these, one person with an underlying illness died on June 15 and the second one was admitted to Tshwane District Hospital last Monday.
Kekana said eight staff members had tested positive and were in isolation, while 34 others were waiting for their results. The remaining 1165 tested negative.
Kekana said despite the infections at the facilities, all of them were still operating, yet extra care was being taken to assure patients’ safety.
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