Columbia nursing home has cluster of 17 coronavirus cases. Other tests still pending.
In the past two days, 17 people who live or work at a Monroe County assisted living facility for seniors have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the health department.
On Thursday, 10 residents and four employees at Garden Place Columbia received their positive test results, Monroe County Health Department Administrator John Wagner said. Two of the four employees live in another county, so they aren’t counted in Monroe’s total patients.
The announcement came after the health department learned Wednesday that two residents and one staff member at Garden Place had tested positive for COVID-19, a respiratory disease caused by a new coronavirus.
Wagner said more people at the facility have symptoms, but their tests are pending, so there could be additional COVID-19 patients.
“I don’t think we’re done yet,” he said.
Wagner declined to say whether any of the 12 Garden Place residents or five employees are hospitalized, because, he said, that could allow the public to identify them.
There are now a total of 33 COVID-19 patients across Monroe County. Wagner said four of the 33 are hospitalized.
Amira Fahoum, a spokeswoman for Compass Senior Living, which owns Garden Place, described the measures the facility is taking to minimize the risk that the virus will spread to any other people in a statement she provided to the Belleville News-Democrat.
She stated that residents are provided services and their meals inside their apartments and that they are being monitored for fever and signs of respiratory issues. Employees are also wearing face masks and other personal protective equipment as needed, according to Fahoum.
“We will continue to keep the safety of our residents and team members our absolute priority,” Fahoum wrote in the statement. “We are in frequent communication with our residents, their families, and our team members to provide them with clear information and updates as we have them.
“We are heartened by the tremendous spirit we’ve seen displayed by our residents, team members, and our residents’ families, as we’ve all responded to this unprecedented situation.”
Another cluster of COVID-19 cases was reported Wednesday at a long-term care center in southwestern Illinois. The Warren G. Murray Developmental Center, a Centralia residential facility for people who have developmental disabilities, had 16 residents and one employee test positive for COVID-19. On Thursday, six more cases were confirmed there.
This story was originally published April 9, 2020 at 2:59 PM.
