Western Cape is still managing the highest active caseload in the country and cannot afford for more people to get infected.
The province is also facing a growing caseload amongst frontline healthcare workers.
Seventy-four health care workers have been hospitalised due to COVID-19 over the last two weeks, and 800 more are confirmed infected and isolating at home.
The province’s Health Head Dr Keith Cloete said medical staff continued to work tirelessly even as their own lives were at stake.
“We currently have more than 800 of our healthcare workers actively infected. So, they are isolating at home. Unfortunately, 74 of them had to be hospitalised in the last 14 days,” Cloete said.
Sadly, eight of those workers lost their lives. Health facilities are under immense pressure facing staff shortages and the department is on a recruitment drive to secure the services of more nurses.
Cloete said they hoped to employ 1,200 workers on contract over the next few weeks.
“There’s about 411 staff that are immediately available. Over the next week, we are expecting to bring additional staff online and by the first week in January, we’re trying to get to the targeted number,” he said.
In Other News – Metrorail suspends train services in Cape Town for Monday
The Regional Train Traffic Control and Management Centre had to shut down on Sunday as a precautionary measure due to a COVID-19 infection case there.
“The suspension is necessary to permit the deep cleaning and sanitisation of the Regional Train Traffic Control and Management Centre following a confirmed COVID-19 infection at the facility,” Metrorail said in a statement on Sunday evening. learn more
Source – EWN
