THE region’s medical chief has called on people who need emergency care to seek treatment amid a 30pc drop in attendance at Mount Gambier’s Hospital emergency department.
It is understood the downward trend is being fuelled by concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Limestone Coast Local Health Network executive director of medical services Dr Elaine Pretorius said she was concerned people were avoiding their general practitioner or the emergency department.
“If people are quite unwell they should seek care,” Dr Pretorius said this week.
While the medical professional urged people not to ignore their health, she reiterated concerns over the large number of people continuing to visit the hospital.
She said a number of restrictions had been implemented at regional hospitals to reduce the potential threat of COVID-19.
Dr Pretorius said nearly 90 people flowed through Mount Gambier Hospital in just one day this week, which was too high given the facility only housed 100 patients.
“We only want to see one or two visitors per patient at a time, not a whole family,” Dr Pretorius said.
She said people under the age of 16 were not allowed into the site.
Meanwhile, Dr Pretorius said COVID-19 testing continued within the hospital as well as the drive-through community clinic.
On average the drive-through clinic is testing around 20 people per day.
“We have used eight of the rapid tests to screen patients being transferred to Adelaide and elderly patients with pneumonia,” Dr Pretorius said.
She revealed Mount Gambier Hospital was also running below bed capacity due to the lack of influenza in the community.
Dr Pretorius said social distancing had seen influenza numbers dramatically fall.
The leading regional doctor said she was thrilled the Limestone Coast had not recorded any new COVID-19 cases.
But she harboured some anxiety about the possibility of new cases when further restrictions eased.
Limestone Coast Local Health Network governing board Grant King chair welcomed news there were no active COVID-19 cases in the region.
“While several weeks ago we faced the worrying prospect that we may not be able stop the spread, the collective efforts of our local and state health and emergency services mean that South Australia now has no active COVID-19 cases,” Mr King said.
“We have seen seven people across the Limestone Coast diagnosed with COVID-19 and these individuals have recovered well.
“We hope this figure will remain unchanged in the coming weeks and months.”
But Mr King said it was incredibly important residents did not become complacent as restrictions continue to be lifted.
“Premier Steven Marshall has announced that South Australia’s COVID-19 testing regime will be extended with focused testing of specific groups even if they are showing no symptoms,” he said.
This will include health and aged care workers, transport workers, prison inmates, seasonal workers and people who are homeless.
“As restrictions continue to be eased, widespread testing becomes more important. This is even more important for our community given our location on the border and the specific groups identified for testing,” Mr King said.
“Our healthcare sites across the Limestone Coast are now beginning to slowly return to normal operations, but it is essential that this is done slowly and cautiously to limit the risk to our patients, aged care residents, staff and the wider community.”
