The body of a 30-year-old woman who died of suspected Covid – 19 at Chiredzi Hospital last night is still not removed from the bed where she died because health workers are afraid to handle the corpse.
The woman (name supplied) was admitted from a private surgery with respiratory problems at 3pm yesterday and she passed on four hours later before Covid 19 tests could be carried out on her.
The case has shaken medical staff at the hospital who has not dealt with a Corona Virus case before.
“No one wants to touch the body. Everyone is extremely afraid and it is unusual for a body to remain on a ward bed for more than an hour. This is 9am and the body is still in there as I speak to you,” said a source at the hospital.
Hospital Superintendent Dr David Tarumbwa confirmed the case. He however, said he was still to trace the medical history of the patient with the private surgery where she went before she came to the hospital.
A nurse who spoke on condition of anonymity said there are many problems at the hospital and chief among them is that there are no protective clothing and health workers are afraid of getting infected. The other problem is that there is virtually no training for staff at the hospital on how to handle Corona Virus cases.
The District Medical Officer Dr Brian Dhladhlara also confirmed the case.
