Hotel-Dieu Takes Measures after Patient, 9 Staff Get Coronavirus

by Naharnet Newsdesk 24 June 2020, 19:01

The Hotel-Dieu de France hospital in Beirut announced Wednesday that it took precautionary measures and ordered PCR tests after a patient, two of her relatives and nine of the medical staff tested positive for COVID-19.

In a statement, Hotel-Dieu said the patient, who has chronic health problems, has been in the hospital for several weeks now.

Among the measures that will be taken are “the gradual closure of the unit in which the patient was receiving treatment and carrying out tests for all the patients who were in this unit.”

“The unit will then be sterilized and closed for 14 days,” it added, noting that PCR tests have been conducted for the unit’s entire medical staff.

“A broad testing campaign will be carried out for those who came in contact with the infected individuals and all patients discharged from this unit over the past 14 days will be contacted with the aim of undergoing PCR tests,” the hospital added.

Noting that “tests are currently being conducted for the nurses and cleaning workers who might have come in contact with infected individuals,” Hotel-Dieu said it is exerting utmost effort to “contain this outbreak whose source is still unknown.”

Media reports have said that one of the patient’s relatives, who hails from north Lebanon, had infected her before she in turn infected the medical staff.

Lebanon meanwhile confirmed 22 coronavirus cases and one more death on Wednesday.

The Health Ministry said 15 of the cases were recorded among residents and seven among expats repatriated from Ivory Coast, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Qatar and the Central African Republic.

Those infected locally -- which likely include those infected at Hotel-Dieu -- reside in Ashrafieh, Tallet al-Khayyat, Ain el-Rummaneh, Bourj al-Barajneh, Ghobeiri, Bsaba, Hadath, Bouchrieh, Dekwaneh, Roumieh, Sin el-Fil, Kfar Yassine and Kfar Hbab, the Ministry added.

Source: Naharnet

https://naharnet.com/stories/en/272805