THE Central Field Hospital at Lawson Tama is already nearly full as the number of COVID-19 cases in Honiara continue to increase.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his special address on the COVID-19 situation in the country this afternoon (Thursday 20th 2022) said the Central Field Hospital only has a capacity of 56 beds.
“The total number of positive cases we have in Honiara in the past three days is 50.
“I have been told the number of positive cases could even be higher.
“If that is the case we will not have rooms to put the positive cases into.
“The safety of patients at the National Referral Hospital is already severely compromised with six positive cases in the Emergency Department.
“We cannot use the National Referral Hospital for any COVID-19 cases,” Mr Sogavare said.
Forty-eight new COVID-19 cases were diagnosed from 8am yesterday to 8am this morning bringing the country’s total number of COVID-19 cases to 81.
Mr Sogavare said the Oversight Committee will advise tomorrow on options for managing people who test positive including those that are sick and need medical care if the Central Field Hospital is full.
“I am told that if we do not have enough hospital rooms we may have no option but to ask the people who test positive or who are sick from COVID-19 to remain in their homes and self-isolate there,” the Prime Minister said.
