Virus: Hospital is safe

2008-10-14 20:40

Johannesburg - A task team of medical experts has for a second time endorsed the infection control procedures at the Morningside Medi-Clinic following the death of three people infected with the arenavirus, the clinic's spokesperson said on Tuesday.

"The task team stated previously that the hospital is safe for patients, visitors and medical procedures," Melinda Pelser said.

Meanwhile the condition of the Morningside Medi-Clinic nurse who contracted the recently identified arenavirus was stable while two other people had been admitted for closer monitoring, Pelser said.

Pelser said another nurse and laboratory technician had been admitted, although neither was suspected of having the viral haemorrhagic fever.

Pelser said a paramedic who had been in contact with one of the patients who died was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday.

"He was not suspected of having the disease," she said.

The hospital was still monitoring all the people who had been in contact with those who had contracted the disease.

"This monitoring is carried out at home, and the results are telephoned in to Morningside Medi-Clinic. Anyone who shows a change in temperature is brought into the hospital for increased temperature monitoring as part of this conservative monitoring protocol."

Pelser said the monitoring exercise would continue for 21 days from the person's last close contact with the infected person.

At least 91 people were being monitored as a precautionary measure.

- SAPA