The hospitals in Brabant are tightening up their corona measures. The number of coronavirus infections are rising among the patients and the staffs.
In three different hospitals, four outbreaks have happened. All the four outbreaks are seeing the emergence of British variant of the coronavirus. According to Bart Berden of the Regional Acute Care Consultation (ROAZ), half of all corona infections in our province involve the British variant.
Two corona outbreaks
In the past few days, there have been two corona outbreaks in the Catharina Hospital in Eindhoven. In total there were 38 infections among the staff and the patients in two departments. Berden has informed Omroep Brabant that there have been outbreaks in two more hospitals in Brabant. He, however, has not mentioned those hospitals.
Rules no longer suffice
According to Berden: “But the rules are no longer adequate. We see patients who don’t have corona when they come in, and still contract it in the hospital.” It is worrisome.
“That suggests that this is the English, more contagious variant of the virus. We’re not happy about that, of course.”
Stricter rules
This development has made all hospitals in Brabant tightening up the measures with immediate effect. These are some of the measures:
1.More frequent testing for the staff and patients.
2.Limited and essential visitors allowed.
3.Group visiting refused.
4.Stricter check on the (correct) wearing of a mouth mask.
Berden calls the stricter visiting rules ‘heartbreaking’, but he sees no other possibility.
British variant
Berden also has concerns about the general course of the virus. “We see low numbers in Brabant, but they are hardly decreasing. We expect the British variant to become more widespread.”
Currently, random samples show that about half of all corona infections in Brabant are with the British variant. Two weeks ago, this was still a quarter.
Source: omroepbrabant
Translation: Chaitali Sengupta who also gives online INBURGERING classes
