A TOTAL of 101 staff at the National Referral Hospital are now tested positive for COVID-19 and have been withdrawn from patient care.
Minister of Health and Medical Services Dr Culwick Togamana revealed this during this public address this evening on the COVID-19 situation in the country.
Dr Togamana said many staff from the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) are also tested positive and continue to work from isolation.
He said the Guadalcanal Province health team also reported that six of its staff are currently isolating at Good Samaritan.
“Four have tested positive while the remaining two await their results,” the Minister said.
He said over 20 Honiara City Council health workers have also tested positive for COVID-19.
“Let us continue to pray for our health and all other frontline workers that they quickly recover so that they can resume providing important health services for us all,” the Minister said.
Solomon Islands total COVID-19 cases today stands at 755 – an increase of 104 cases since Tuesday 25th January. A total of 81 of these cases are admitted at the National Referral Hospital and the Central Field Hospital.
Dr Togamana said there are still no recoveries.
“We do not have recoveries and data on this is being compiled, once available I will inform you.
“Let us continue to pray for our sick patients at hospital for speedy recovery and that local transmission within the hospital to stop,” the Minister said.
He said the National Referral Hospital remains in the emergency mode meaning it is limiting its services for emergency cases only including pregnant women in labour.
He said the hospital cannot afford to take the risk of opening its pharmacy as well therefore, the public is advised to keep out from the hospital’s vicinity.
“During this lockdown period all non-emergency cases should go to Kukum and Rove clinics. They are the only two clinics in Honiara that are opening during this lockdown period for assessment and treatment or medication,” Dr Togamana said.
