(Trinidad Guardian) COVID-positive pregnant women treated at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex Women’s Hospital have given birth to babies who are negative for the virus.
This according to the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA) communications manager Peter Neptune.
Neptune told Guardian Media the Women’s Hospital has treated several women who were pregnant and COVID-positive.
Neptune was asked to address rumours that the Women’s Hospital was identified as the hub to treat COVID-positive pregnant patients.
He debunked those rumours, saying: “I am not aware that any decision was taken that Mt Hope Hospital will be the hub of where they are dealing with COVID-positive pregnant patients. I would not say so––not aware of any meeting to discuss such. I am aware the Women’s Hospital in Port-of-Spain deals with their COVID patients just as we deal with ours and the one in San Fernando deals with theirs as well.”
Neptune said when COVID-positive patients are admitted to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Centre, they are placed in an isolation unit.
Asked about concerns raised that those patients and the staff that treat them could infect pregnant women who do not have the virus, Neptune said: “The staff has their own procedures regarding the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and we follow the World Health Organisations guidelines in everything to such an extent that COVID has been something we have been addressing for months and none of our staff has ever gotten COVID from patients. Everybody who got COVID who are members of staff, have gotten it from home and we don’t let them come to work, we deal with it aggressively, we isolate them or send them off for treatment for it.”
He said there is no risk of any cross-contamination.
“There are isolation areas in the facilities. They are procedures to prevent inter-mingling of any kind. There is no shortage of PPE. I do not how many we currently have but we do get positive patients every now and again and all the procedures are followed.
“I know that there are people who are positive who made babies and the babies are negative,” Neptune said.
Neptune said he could not how many pregnant women with the COVID-19 virus are currently warded at the hospital.
