Bara patient a Medi-Clinic worker
2008-10-07 13:02
Johannesburg - A 51-year-old woman has been admitted to the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital with symptoms of the unknown illness that has claimed three lives in South Africa, the Gauteng health department said on Tuesday.
Spokesperson Zanele Mngadi said the department had confirmed that Maria Stuurman, who was admitted to the hospital, was a cleaning supervisor at Morningside Medi-Clinic.
Stuurman was admitted on Monday with flu-like symptoms.
"She is in isolation and tests are being done to confirm her illness. Ms Stuurman is stable and there is a chance of her being discharged today or soon," Mngadi said.
Meanwhile private and public hospitals were urged by the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) to take precautionary measures and isolate patients who were vomiting and suffering from diarrhoea.
'Serious health hazard'
"This outbreak has put lives of many South Africans at risk and the authorities have a duty to investigate if negligence is to blame for this serious health hazard," said spokesperson Sizwe Pamla.
He said Nehawu was saddened by the death of the health workers at the Morningside Medi-Clinic.
"The union salutes these selfless and dedicated workers who lost their lives in the line of duty and we hope their passing away will not be in vain and appropriate measures would be taken to prevent more lives being lost," he said.
Three people have so far died of the unknown disease.
The first casualty was a 36-year-old woman who was airlifted from Zambia to the Morningside Medi-Clinic in Sandton on September 12.
She was treated for tick-bite fever and other potential infections but died two days later.
A Zambian paramedic who had accompanied her into the country died last week and a nurse at the Morningside Medi-Clinic died on Sunday.
- SAPA