More beds, wards as Gauteng gears up for Covid-19 battle
The provincial government in Gauteng has vowed to add more wards as hospitals gear up to admit more patients for Covid-19.
Premier David Makhura briefed the media on the province’s efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Gauteng is considered the epicentre of the outbreak in South Africa with 930 confirmed cases and four deaths.
Makhura said new wards will be added at four of the province's hospitals.
"In addition to the beds, we are putting up new wards in some of our hospitals.
ALSO READ: Parents now able to move children between provinces, says Zulu
"These include Kopanong, Jubilee in Tshwane, Chris Hani Baragwanath and George Mukhari in Tshwane. These are permanent wards and will be used beyond Covid-19.”
The provincial government has also secured over 2000 beds as it gears up for a possible influx of patients.
This includes the 500 beds at the specialised Covid-19 facility in Nasrec, south of Johannesburg.
"555 standard beds and 308 ICU beds have been cleared and declared ready for COVID19 in our existing facilities,” Makhura said.
"An additional 800 beds will also be included. This will create 2163 beds in Gauteng province which we will use to fight Covid-19.”