All 4 of Clinton County’s coronavirus deaths were long-term care residents in Carlyle
All four of the coronavirus deaths Clinton County has reported were residents at Carlyle HealthCare Center, according to the health department.
A total of 63 people — 42 residents and 21 employees — at the long-term care facility have tested positive for the COVID-19 respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus, the Clinton County Health Department said Thursday.
A representative from Carlyle HealthCare Center could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.
Health Department Administrator Sean Eifert said they first learned that the virus was in Carlyle HealthCare Center a month ago, on March 31, when the first positive test result came back.
The first death was reported April 23. Three more deaths were announced Wednesday.
The facility had a staff of 142 and was licensed to care for 109 residents as of 2014, the latest information the state provides online.
Concern about staffing
All staff members were tested on Wednesday, when Carlyle HealthCare Center received enough tests for the employees, according to Eifert.
Eifert said the health department and the facility believe staff are still able to meet the needs of the residents even with more employees now quarantined because of their COVID-19 diagnoses.
But they have explored options through the state to cover for sick staff as the virus has spread, with limited response, according to Eifert.
“I have a serious concern about the fact that we’re seeing outbreaks like these in long-term care facilities and IDPH (Illinois Department of Public Health) is now going to be testing all staff in all long-term care facilities, and when that happens, they inevitably will find probably many positive staff,” Eifert said. “I am seriously concerned about what they’re going to do in terms of staff coverage for those long-term care facilities.
“... Who is going to care for the residents when you have that many clinical people quarantined?” he added.
This story was originally published April 30, 2020 at 3:25 PM.
