MACON, Ga. — We are learning more about two Macon nursing homes that are dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks. The Department of Health says if one person in a long-term care facility like a nursing home gets COVID-19 they consider that an outbreak. That's because you have high-risk people like older adults and healthcare workers in a close space. Right now, we know at least two Macon nursing homes are dealing with outbreaks.
Across Georgia, more than 40 long-term care facilities have reported cases of COVID-19, according to the health department. The communications department at PruittHealth confirmed by e-mail that one patient at their east side home tested positive for the coronavirus.
They say they've notified everyone who's been in contact with the patient. The National Guard is also helping the company deep clean and sanitize their sites. Right now, their east side location is on Code Red alert that means they're not accepting nonessential personal or new patients.
The state health department also reported an "outbreak" at Zebulon Park Health in west Macon. We reached out to Zebulon Park for more information and this is what they sent us:
As of 4/6/20, One patient from Zebulon Park Health & Rehabilitation was confirmed positive for COVID-19 while at the local hospital.
The patient who was confirmed positive did unfortunately pass away and did not return to the center. Two other patients who with symptoms in the center have been tested and were confirmed negative for the virus.
As you are aware, the National Guard (NG) has recently been deployed in our state in an effort to combat the spread of this virus in our community. At the direction of the Department of Public Health (DPH), they are reaching out to healthcare centers. We anticipate we will be contacted by the National Guard in the near future. We are taking advantage of any assistance made available to us at this time by local, state and federal resources
Zebulon Park Health & Rehabilitation continues to focus on preventing the spread of infection in our facility by restricting non-essential visitation as well as by reinforcing CDC guidelines for hand hygiene and environmental cleanliness.
Zebulon Park Health & Rehabilitation has also made the decision to suspend the admission of new patients to the nursing center. This will help us continue to prioritize resources and focus on meeting the needs of the patients currently in our care. Additionally, we are screening health care workers prior to reporting for duty and are not permitting staff with respiratory symptoms to work.
Given the recent spread of the virus across the nation and state, and the vulnerability of the population we serve, we will continue to be in communication with local and state health departments, as well as the CDC for additional guidance during this unprecedented crisis.
Here is the full statement from the communications department at PruittHealth:
We can confirm that one patient at PruittHealth – Eastside tested presumptive positive for COVID-19 and was transferred to a local hospital. The patient’s family has been informed, and out of respect for the situation, we will not be commenting further on their condition.
Out of an abundance of caution, we notified all employees and patients recently in contact with these individuals and recommended they contact a physician and self-quarantine. Additionally, we accepted the National Guard's offer to help deep clean our facilities and have engaged in techniques to optimize our medical supply chain. This includes increasing the stock of food, supplies, and medication to ensure the quality of care our patients deserve.
The Alert Code for PruittHealth – Eastside has been escalated to Red, meaning nonessential personnel are banned from the location and no new admissions are allowed. PruittHealth is continuing to follow guidance from public health officials, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
We will continue to monitor the issue and its effects on our community as we follow the latest public health guidance. We ask any employee, patient, or family member with questions to contact our Emergency Operations Center at 855-742-5983. For updates and more information on our disease protocols, please visit PruittHealth.com.
FACTS NOT FEAR | At 13WMAZ, we’re focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the coronavirus. To see our full coverage, visit our site section here: www.13wmaz.com/Coronavirus.
STAY UPDATED | Click here to subscribe to our Midday Minute newsletter and receive the latest headlines and information in your inbox every day.
Have a news tip? Email news@13wmaz.com, or visit our Facebook page.