Puyallup facility is COVID-19 free after 69 cases, nine deaths
A long-term care facility in Puyallup says it’s now rid of coronavirus after reporting 69 cases and nine deaths.
All of the fatalities were patients, said Life Care Center of South Hill Executive Director Mindy Bradley.
Five of the deaths occurred at the facility, and four passed away at a hospital.
“Each resident we lost had underlying medical conditions,” Bradley said in a statement. “We mourn the residents we have lost and extend our sincerest sympathies to their families.”
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is reporting that the care facility has seen 69 COVID-19 positive cases, two of which have been attributed to an initial outbreak in the spring, Company spokesperson Heidi Pino said.
Last month, a second outbreak began at the facility on 7th Street Southeast. Of the 67 recent COVID-19 cases, 31 were patients and 36 were staff.
Only one staff member remains sick, Bradley said.
Pino said the facility is admitting patients now that they are “officially COVID-19 free.”
While there were 31 patients in July, the same number of total patients who contracted COVID-19, Pino said the amount of patients changes.
“There was not a time when all the residents were COVID-positive,” she said in an email.
The facility worked with health agencies to implement public health safety guidelines like separating COVID-positive and COVID-negative patients, wearing PPE, and emphasizing hand hygiene.
All staff use a single door in the facility, and people’s temperature is screened upon entering and exiting, company spokesperson Timothy Killian said in July. Any staff member who shows signs or symptoms is swabbed for testing and sent home until they have been cleared to work.
Since the beginning of July, the Washington Department of Health has conducted three infection control surveys on the Life Care Center of South Hill. Each of them has been deficiency-free, Bradley said.
During infection control surveys, state inspectors walk through the facility to ensure infection prevention protocol is being followed.
Bradley thanked staff for their dedication to residents.
“I’ve been overwhelmed by the dedication of our staff to be COVID-19 warriors and ultimately take care of our sick patients even at their personal risk,” Bradley said in the statement.
