28 of South Hill care facility’s 31 patients test positive for the coronavirus
A skilled nursing and rehabilitation center in Puyallup is in the middle of a COVID-19 outbreak, with 61 confirmed cases.
All 61 cases are still positive, company spokesperson Timothy Killian said.
Life Care Center of South Hill has reported the death of at least one client from COVID-19 as of July 21. The death occurred three weeks ago.
Killian said 28 patients and 33 staff members have tested positive as of Friday at the center on 7th Street Southeast. The test results were received in the past week.
Of 31 patients, only three have not been infected with the coronavirus.
Killian said Life Care staff at the South Hill facility have worked at only the one building since early March.
Employees who work with patients who tested positive for the coronavirus do not work with patients who have not tested positive. Killian said he did not have the latest staff count.
All staff use a single door in the facility, and people’s temperature is screened upon entering and exiting, Killian said. Any staff member who shows signs or symptoms is swabbed for testing and sent home until they have been cleared to work.
Patients and staff are tested weekly.
“That will remain in place until there are no more positive residents within the facility,” Killian said.
Killian said the state performed a recent facility survey and found no infection control deficiencies.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department said it has done no testing at the facility during this outbreak, and the facility uses private provider facilitated testing.
Spokesperson Dale Phelps said the health agency discusses routes of transmission, infection prevention practices, staff schedules and the potential need for additional testing when a facility informs them of an outbreak.
Clients who test positive are isolated in their own room, which has been sectioned off in a designated wing for COVID-19 positive patients.
Employees who are in direct contact with patients have full-droplet protection, which includes masks, eye protection and gowns. Others with minimal resident interaction, like a receptionist, only wear a surgical mask. Killian said there has not been an issue receiving personal protective equipment for staff.
“We value our residents and our staff, and are working diligently to fight the spread of this virus within our facilities,” Killian said in a statement. “We mourn the loss of any of our residents or staff.”
This story was originally published July 25, 2020 at 8:00 AM.
