Another staff COVID death rattles Sav Hospital

WESTERN BUREAU:

The Savanna-la-Mar Hospital in Westmoreland, which has emerged as the epicentre for the COVID-19 pandemic in western Jamaica, was on Friday shaken by the death of a second colleague in less than a week.

Already mourning Tuesday’s passing of registered nurse Diagrea Cunningham, the staff got more shocking news on Friday morning with the passing of 34-year-old David Simpson, who worked in the hospital’s maintenance department.

Eric Clarke, chairman of the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), described the death as unfortunate.

“He had been with us [hospitalised at Savanna-la-Mar] for a while, but we transferred him to the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) earlier this week to make sure we could get the best possible care. Not that we can’t provide it here, but his situation was as such that he needed to go to UHWI, so he was transferred,” Clarke told The Gleaner.

Simpson, who is of a Dunbar River address in Savanna-la-Mar and who was employed as a plumber, is the 151st person from Westmoreland confirmed to have died from the deadly virus, which has claimed nearly 1,600 lives across the island.

He died while receiving specialised care on Thursday night.

The Savanna-la-Mar Hospital continues to struggle to come to grips with the rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 patients as staff are required to put in longer hours of work.

On Friday, Clarke said that the WRHA was fine-tuning plans to ease the cramped space in which staff were now working, with the hospital exceeding its capacity.

“We should be moving into the 14-bed additional unit today (Friday),” said Clarke, in speaking to the additional space being created at the hospital. “There have been some delays with construction deep-cleaner, but when I was here yesterday, it was just to be deep-cleaned, so we can occupy it today.”

Field hospital under construction

Additionally, Clarke said that work on a 35-bed field hospital there has now started and should be completed within two weeks. He said that the initial works to prepare the site were delayed by heavy rains last weekend.

“The no-movement days will not affect the work as we are doing letters for all the workmen so that they can travel freely because we cannot afford another ... delay with that,” said Clarke.

“We will be piping that area for oxygen as well to make sure that is tied into the main supply,” he added.

With the deaths of Cunningham and Simpson bringing the harsh reality of the virus to their doorstep, other staffers at the hospital, who were seemingly hesitant to take the vaccine, are reportedly changing their minds in large numbers and are now taking the jab.

“Some of those persons who were reluctant are now seeking to get vaccinated because everybody is jittery and on edge about this killer disease … . We are seeing so much death that it is hard not to be frightened by it,” a porter told The Gleaner.

And, as Simpson’s home community continues to mourn, Sha-Sha-Gay Jetto, a a former schoolmate and neighbour, said his death has left her and others members of the community in a state of shock.

“I have known him from high school, and when I heard that he passed, ... it really hit me,” said Jetto.

editorial@gleanerjm.com