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Covid-19 testing may soon be mandatory for patients before admission to hospitals


It will soon be mandatory for patients being admitted at a hospital to first be tested for Covid-19 as a precautionary measure to reduce the risk of infections to healthcare workers in hospitals.

Health Director General Patrick Amoth, on Monday at Afya House said that not only are healthcare workers at risk but also other patients who have already been admitted at the hospital.

HEALTHCARE WORKERS

“And it is because of this that the ministry together with the case management team we are reviewing our guidelines to make it possible for everyone admitted into facilities to be able to have a Covid-19 test as a standard test or as part of the admission procedure,” Dr Amoth said.

“So that from the word go when you are getting admitted one of the test that you will have to undergo will be the Covid-19 test. This will not only protect the frontline healthcare workers but also other patients admitted,” he added.

At the same time, Dr Amoth noted the death of a 33-year-old man who died as a result of coronavirus. This is the first death to be reported of someone coming from the age group of 30 to 39 years.

This group ,he says, has the highest number of asymptomatic cases and since the disease was reported in the country more than two months ago, has never had a mortality.

GETTING INFECTED

“In the last 48 hours or so for the first time we had someone aged between 30 to 39 years dying. A 33-year-old gentleman passed on. Remember that despite this group of people being the highest number having asymptomatic cases we have never had a mortality,” Dr Amoth explained.

And when people start dying at hospital facilities as a result of Covid-19 this then puts the healthcare workers from contracting the disease and transmitting it to other patients they might be caring for.

“When people die at facility level then of course they put the healthcare workers at risk of contracting Covid-19 and of course also transmitting the infection to other patients who are in the ward.

And because there are other patients in the ward undergoing various treatments their immune status maybe compromised, therefore putting them at a very likelihood of getting the infection,” Dr Amoth said.