San Francisco General Hospital is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases among healthcare workers, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
COVID-19 infections among employees at the facility climbed to 45 between June 27 and July 6, a 50 percent increase, according to the newspaper, which cites a staff memo sent on behalf of CEO Susan Ehrlich, MD.
Dr. Ehrlich attributed the increase to overall spread in local communities.
"Based on information to date, we suspect the large majority of recent cases we are discovering at work may have been acquired in the community," she said in the memo, according to the Chronicle. "While we are not surprised in the surge, we do want to ensure that everyone is taking every precaution to stay safe and healthy."
According to the Chronicle, San Francisco cases have recently climbed to about 53 new infections per day. As of July 9, the San Francisco Department of Public Health reported 4,145 COVID-19 cases and 50 total deaths during the pandemic.
The hospital is increasing safety measures in response to the surge in employee cases. This includes opening new break room space in the unused cafeteria to make it easier for workers to socially distance, according to the Chronicle. Additionally, the hospital is encouraging staff to avoid social gatherings.
Still, testing remains a concern for workers, according to the report, which notes Dr. Ehrlich's memo confirmed San Francisco General is not testing all workers. Dr. Ehrlich said essential hospital workers are eligible for free testing, whether they have symptoms or are asymptomatic.
Access the report here.
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