Residents at North Huntingdon care facility test positive for coronavirus
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Dozens of residents at a North Huntingdon care facility tested positive for coronavirus this month, officials announced.
Transitions Healthcare posted on its Facebook page that 60 residents had contracted the virus in October. Nine have since recovered and officials said they “anticipate and hope that 51 of the residents will be resolved of all symptoms as of next week.”
Officials at the Barnes Lake Road facility were not available for comment.
According to the Facebook post, the cases were discovered following required weekly testing, a measure that was put in place as coronavirus cases in Westmoreland County began to increase. Tests were previously conducted monthly.
Transitions Healthcare North Huntingdon has been following CDC guidelines and CMS recommendations since March 13, 2020,…
Posted by Transitions Healthcare LLC – North Huntingdon on Wednesday, October 21, 2020
“Even with preventive measures followed, an outbreak of the virus occurred in the facility,” the Facebook post reads. “Most residents that tested positive for the virus in our facility in … October were asymptomatic.”
Employees also tested positive for the virus, according to an Oct. 15 release, which did not give the number of employees who contracted the virus. Most recent data from the state Department of Health shows that 20 staffers at the facility tested positive.
Officials said the facility has followed guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services since March 13.
Officials said they will “continue to be diligent in testing residents and employees” and continue following CDC and CMS guidelines for isolating residents and staff as well as ensuring personal protective equipment is available “to prevent further spread of the virus.”
According to the release, resident and staff members will be tested at least weekly until there are no positive results for 14 days.
“The company is committed to caring for its residents and employees,” the Facebook post reads. “We will work hard to regain those visitation privileges. Regarding the residents and employees that have tested positive, we wish them well and hope that you will do the same.”