- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Three new COVID-19-related deaths reported in Lakeport skilled nursing facility outbreak
The three new deaths bring the total COVID-19-related deaths at Lakeport Post Acute to seven, and Lake County’s overall COVID-19-related deaths to 10, according to Public Health officials.
Lake County Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace said that all three of the individuals who just died were older than 65 years of age and had chronic health conditions.
To date, Lake County has 433 confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 54 are active and three hospitalized, with 372 having recovered and 10 deaths overall, Public Health reported.
As of early Wednesday evening, health departments across California reported more than 770,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 14,700 deaths statewide.
The COVID-19 outbreak at Lakeport Post Acute began late in August, with the first death reported on Aug. 29.
Pace said that so far 30 residents of the facility – a number that includes the seven who have died – have tested positive for COVID-19.
While Pace has not named the facility, the California Department of Public Health has identified it as Lakeport Post Acute in its COVID-19 reporting dashboard, as Lake County News first reported last week.
CDPH also reported that 19 health care workers at the facility have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Wednesday. The agency had confirmed health care worker cases at that facility last week, as Lake County News has reported.
“This outbreak has been heartbreaking for residents, family and staff, and it is still being monitored,” said Pace. “These cases appear to have been picked up in the community and transmitted through the facility by people providing care and services. Many people have mild symptoms, and some unknowingly spread COVID-19. Risks for the vulnerable can be dire.”
He said the cases and deaths have occurred despite the efforts by staff and Public Health officials to contain it.
Across California, 25,184 residents of 1,223 skilled nursing facilities have tested positive for COVID-19, with 4,326 dying, CPDH said Wednesday.
The state said another 18,739 health care workers in those facilities have tested positive, with 146 COVID-19-related deaths reported among those workers.
In an update to the Lakeport City Council on Tuesday night, Pace described the efforts taken at the facility to contain the virus, including setting up a separate COVID-19 wing for those who tested positive and consulting with local and state health officials.
At that point, he had warned of the potential for more deaths “in the near future.”
“This is a very vulnerable population and once the infection gets in that population it can be very devastating,” he told the council.
Pace said Wednesday that when an outbreak occurs in a residential facility, there are established protocols to stop the spread, including weekly testing of residents and staff, use of personal protective equipment, proper disinfection and establishment of a separate COVID-19 ward for infected or exposed individuals.
“These guidelines are being followed now. The State’s Healthcare-Associated Infections team has visited and consulted, and they did not identify any significant problems,” he said.
In addition to the new deaths and cases at Lakeport Post Acute, Pace said another local skilled nursing facility has reported two staffers who tested positive for the virus.
While Pace also didn’t name the second facility, CDPH said Meadowood Nursing Center in Clearlake has staff with the virus, but so far no residents there have tested positive.
In reference to the health care worker cases at Meadowood, Pace said, “They are now isolated, and this facility has put all residents in quarantine, and begun testing all residents and staff; families are being notified, as well. We are in the early stages of determining if this is a separate significant outbreak or if the virus has been prevented from spreading.”
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