AKU has issued an internal memo urging its faculty, staff, and students to remain vigilant after several COVID-19 cases were detected among them.
Several staff and students have tested positive for the virus recently, but their symptoms have been mild, similar to seasonal colds. No one has been hospitalized.
According to the university, the virus is still widespread and infectious in its community.
The severity of the infection can increase among elderly individuals who lack vaccinations or have underlying health conditions.
To curb the spread of the virus, the university has asked its staff members, including healthcare workers, faculty, and students, to protect themselves and their families and patients.
Among these measures are continued masking in outpatient facilities, mandatory masking by healthcare workers in inpatient facilities and mandatory masking in all areas if anyone has cold symptoms.
COVID-19 testing should also be reported immediately to the university’s Employee/Student Health department.
If it has been more than six months since their last dose, staff, and students should get vaccinated with the new bivalent vaccine.
The university’s request for action comes as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grip the globe, serving as a prompt to be on guard.
Response from Aga Khan University Hospital
In a statement, the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) said that the news regarding huge numbers of its staff and students being infected with COVID-19 is “not true”.
“We have stringent infection control practices at our hospital, and when a few (less than 10) of our people were identified with COVID-19 over the last few days, our Hospital Leadership issued a memo to alert staff and students to be cautious and ensure the necessary COVID-19 precautions are being taken,’ the statement added.
This has been part of AKUH’s routine practice according to international guidelines since the start of the pandemic and serves as a reminder that COVID-19 will occasionally resurface.
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