Emergency services got little rest over the Christmas weekend, with more than 10 000 medical emergencies being reported around the Western Cape.
Provincial health services were bracing themselves for the long weekend, expecting even more incidents.
The Western Cape health department’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel responded to exactly 10 245 incidents. Of these, 32% were life-threatening cases.
EMS spokesperson Byron La Hoe explained the emergencies as ranging from hikers being rescued off Table Mountain to more than 123 pedestrians dealing with injuries.
“Unfortunately, most of the incidents attended to by the EMS involved weapon assaults, ranging from knife stab wounds to gun violence,” La Hoe said.
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The various patients were transported to the Tygerberg, Worcester and Groote Schuur Hospitals for treatment, with 1 802 patients suffering from chest pains, 1 270 incidents of weapon assaults, 934 patients suffering respiratory complaints and 739 physical assaults.
“The EMS, with an escort from police, attended to several incidents in neighbourhoods, including Beacon Valley (75), Tafelsig (78), Hanover Park (47) and Chicago, in Paarl (16),” La Hoe specified.
“From 12am on Friday morning to 10am on Wednesday, 4 799 trauma cases presented to 41 emergency centres across the province linked to our Hospital Emergency Centre Triage and Information System.”
“Trauma-related breakdown at these 41 facilities included 1 174 stabbings, 1 099 blunt assaults, 225 motor-vehicle related injuries and 183 pedestrian related injuries, 67 gunshot wounds, 1 127 accidental injuries and 113 self-harm injuries,” La Hoe said.
The majority of the trauma cases took place at facilities including Delft CHC (228), Kraaifontein CHC (227), Worcester Hospital (226), Paarl Hospital (217), Khayelitsha Hospital (210), Gugulethu CHC, Mitchells Plain Hospital (168), Gugulethu CHC (207) and Elsies River CHC (193).
La Hoe said hospitals and 24-hour community health centres (CHC) expect an increase in cases over the New Year’s weekend and are well-prepared for any emergencies.
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Picture: Wikimedia Commons