Covid-19 cases reported in two Dunedin hospital wards

Cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in two Dunedin hospitals.

While Southern District Health Board hospitals have been set up with red areas for Covid-19 patients and green areas for those without the virus, the cases in question have been reported in two “green” wards.

One ward is at Wakari Hospital and the other is at Dunedin Hospital.

On Thursday, a patient in Ward 10A, a secure intellectual disability ward at Wakari Hospital, became symptomatic and tested positive for Covid-19.

Two inpatients in the ward later returned positive tests.

“All three patients are reasonably well with their infections while staff and the rest of the ward’s inpatients are undertaking further surveillance testing,” a statement from the health board said on Sunday.

The ward was criticised last month by the Ombudsman, who found the facility was in critical need of an upgrade and was creating a “volatile environment”. That included housing male and female patients together, with some posing a serious risk to others.