|
|
|
|
Last Updated: Apr 23, 2020 - 7:46:16 PM |
Dr. the Hon. Duane Sands
Minister of Health
COVID-19 Update Press Conference
The Ministry of Health
Thursday, 23 April, 2020
Good afternoon,
I begin today with the latest information on COVID-19 in The Bahamas.
Sadly, we announce today two additional deaths from this coronavirus.
A 53-year-old male. And a 51-year-old male died at (time) at (location).
This brings the total number of COVID-19 deaths in The Bahamas to 11.
We give our heartfelt condolences to the families of the two men who lost their lives. Our prayers are with you in this difficult time.
There are two new COVID-19 cases. A 50-year-old female of New Providence who is in home isolation. And a 29-year-old female of New Providence who is also in home isolation
This brings the country’s total number of confirmed cases to 72 – 61 from New Providence; seven from Grand Bahama; three from Bimini; and one from Cat Cay, Bimini.
Fifteen of the 72 confirmed cases of COVID-19 are health care workers.
There are two new recovered patients for a total of 14.
Nine patients are hospitalised – eight in New Providence at Doctors Hospital West, and one in Grand Bahama at the Rand Memorial.
There has been much public discussion the past few days regarding the Medical Surgical Ward II at Princess Margaret Hospital. Let me provide an update on the situation.
Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre referred a patient from the Robert Smith Unit to PMH for further medical management on the April 5th, 2020.
This patient received treatment at PMH and was discharged on April 15th, 2020, to Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.
Days later, the Medical Surgical Ward II of PMH was declared compromised on discovery of a confirmed positive COVID-19 case on the ward.
Consequently, the ward was closed to new admissions on April 18th, 2020.
The patient of the Robert Smith Unit was returned to PMH on April 19th, 2020 to be tested for COVID-19.
On April 20th, 2020, it was confirmed that the Robert Smith Unit patient had contracted COVID-19. This patient is now receiving care at the Doctor’s Hospital West facility.
The remaining 39 patients at the Robert Smith Unit at Sandilands were immediately placed in an isolation cohort and the unit was sanitized.
Forty-six staff members at Sandilands were identified for risk exposure assessment.
In total more than 200 health care workers are in quarantine. However, we believe that upon completion of our risk assessment the number is expected to decrease significantly.
One staff member, two patients and two registered nurses were quarantined for 14 days.
Subsequently, all remaining patients on the Medical Surgical Ward II were tested for COVID-19.
Contact tracing and exposure assessments commenced for the people discharged from the ward, and those who were in contact with current patients on the ward.
Currently, four patients remain on the ward. Three of the four remain in isolation and one remains on the open ward.
As long as patients remain on the ward, routine sanitation standards are being followed.
High cleaning is scheduled as soon as all patients are discharged.
As a precaution, and in order to take proactive steps to protect their health, all persons will be monitored closely, tested for COVID-19, and if required they will be admitted to one of our COVID centres for care.
We are committed to providing all necessary support and treatment through every step of this process.
As part of updated prevention measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, visiting hours at all public and private wards at PHM have been suspended.
Patient updates will be made to the identified and/or nearest relative and/or guardian by the assigned physician via telephone.
Meals and beverages delivered for patients will not be accepted during this restricted period.
If a patient requires a personal item, the hospital will contact the identified and/or nearest relative regarding the request.
In this case, the delivery must be pre-arranged with Ward management.
Efforts are being made to provide videoconferencing for our patients on the Children’s Ward so they can interact daily with a parent or guardian.
In an effort to expand our treatment capacity we opened the South Beach Acute Care and Referral Centre.
The south, northwestern and north wings of the centre were converted to isolation rooms.
The air-conditioning system was changed from positive pressure to negative pressure. The centre has also been divided into 10 zones. These steps were taken to improve air safety.
The negative pressure of the air-conditioning prevents patients and staff from coming in contact with air-borne droplets. Ultraviolet light is used to clean the air, making it cleaner than air in an operating theatre.
We have also created an adjusted workflow for staff, patients and medical waste; and designed systematic and independent safe staff zones, including bathrooms and rest areas.
Out of the 10 private rooms created at South Beach there are eight en-suite bathrooms with appropriate airflows.
There is also continuous upgrading of the positive and negative airflows, sewer, toilets and showers for patients and staff.
All retrofits have been completed according to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
South Beach Acute Care and Referral Centre started to accept COVID-19 patients on Sunday, April 19th, following re-fitting for accommodations for 10 beds.
The South Beach Centre will be further re-fitted to accommodate an additional 10 beds, bringing to 20 the total number of beds for COVID-19 patients at that facility.
Contractors are working around the clock to complete the additions by the weekend.
This should bring the total number of beds for COVID-19 patients in New Providence to 40 (20 at South Beach; 16 at Doctors Hospital West; and four at the PMH Modular Unit).
By tomorrow morning six COVID-19 beds will be available in Grand Bahama and within a week to 10 days a total of 22.
The work of the Ministry of Health’s Communicable Disease Surveillance Unit is key to the fight against this coronavirus.
The hardworking staff members of this unit are important frontline workers in keeping all of us safe.
I want to highlight their work to you...
to continue see attached
© Copyright 2020 by thebahamasweekly.com
Top of Page
|
|
|
|
