29 test positive for Covid-19 at a frail care centre in Port Elizabeth

The Eastern Cape Department of Health confirmed on Wednesday that, as of Saturday, 23 May, 10 staff members and 19 residents had tested positive for Covid-19 at the Lorraine Frail Care Centre (LFCC) in Port Elizabeth.

The preliminary report shared with News24 also shows there is one other case that still needs verification.

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One person has been admitted to a hospital.

The LFCC has 96 staff members, with a 120-bed capacity, of which 118 beds are currently occupied.

The facility has three wards - Antherium (female), Daffodil (male) and Protea (mixed ward).

Symptoms

The LFCC noticed that a staff member showed flu-like symptoms on 30 April, during a routine screening of both residents and staff.

"She was back from two days off-duty, and was asymptomatic before that. She was referred for Covid-19 testing," the report reveals.

The staff member was isolated at home while awaiting results, but was later admitted to a private hospital after receiving the positive Covid-19 test result.

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The report further adds the staff member had close contact with 10 residents at the Protea ward.

"There are reports that, when she was on duty, she would go and visit other wards," the report added.

A second staff member at the facility then reported having a sore throat on 1 May.

She was referred for testing and the results were positive for Covid-19.

Tested

"She is a nurse from a nursing agency. She was in contact with all residents and staff, taking vital signs of the residents. She started working at the centre in December 2019," the report further reads.

A few days later, on 5 May, the facility saw its first resident with a temperature of 38, diarrhoea and flu-like symptoms.

He was tested and the results came back positive for Covid-19 on 7 May. He was isolated while awaiting the results.

The Department of Health then tested 35 asymptomatic staff members for Covid-19 on 9 May, of which seven were positive.

The report has recommended the following:

- Cases at the facility with comorbidities or are high-risk may need to be admitted to a hospital, and families should be consulted when admissions are done.

- A deep cleaning of the facility.

- Close monitoring of the facility by the district.

- Educating staff members on Covid-19 symptoms - and, if symptomatic, to stay at home.