Southeastern Regional Medical Center received test results Saturday, April 4, that one current patient and one discharged patient has tested positive for COVID-19. The medical center notified the Robeson County Health Department earlier today so that they could make the proper notifications and announcements on behalf of Robeson County.
Southeastern Health’s COVID-19 Incident Commander Jason Cox, who also serves as SeHealth Vice President and SRMC Chief Operating Officer, went live on Facebook shortly after the announcement to give an overview of preparations that had been made to prepare to treat positive patients and remind the community of efforts they can take to reduce the spread of the virus.
Very few details about the cases will be released as has been the practice of the Robeson County Health Department with all positive case announcements to date.
Southeastern Health and SRMC have been preparing to care for COVID-19 patients for weeks now and has been fully equipped to treat patients under investigation and now, with today’s test results, confirmed to have COVID-19.
In some cases, patients’ conditions may improve and they may be discharged from the medical center under isolation-at-home guidance before their test results are received. In other cases, patients will still be under our care when we receive their test results. All patients who are tested for COVID-19 are cared for as if they have the virus.
We have conducted clinical trainings, drills and are closely monitoring vital supplies like personal protective equipment. Isolation rooms are utilized for all patients with communicable health conditions to ensure the safety of both the patient and the healthcare workers who care for them.
We continue to follow the guidance, procedures and protocols established by the CDC and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. For the safety of our community and our healthcare workers, please remember to take the following precautions to reduce the risk of COVID-19, including:
Wash hands for 20 seconds
Avoid touching your face
Practice social distancing
Stay at home as much as possible
For more information about COVID-19, visit www.ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus.
For ongoing updates and resources from Southeastern Health related to COVID-19, please visit http://www.srmc.org/main/covid-19-update.html.
