Elderly Care Nurse Among Latest COVID-19 Diagnoses
The state health director said the risk posed to residents and other staff at the facility is “low.”
A nurse at an Oahu long-term care facility was diagnosed with COVID-19, state health officials confirmed Friday.
The nurse works at Hale Nani Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Department of Health Director Bruce Anderson confirmed to Civil Beat Friday afternoon.
“Because of their infection control precautions that are already in place, we feel the risk close to residents and staff is low,” he said, noting health department staff had recently conducted an inspection of the facility and found no issues with their prevention and control measures.
“We are going to be testing all residents and staff of the affected unit as a precautionary measure,” he added.聽The person was symptomatic, which prompted a test, Anderson said.
Representatives with Hale Nani were not able to immediately respond to a request for an interview.
The facility has nearly 288 beds and is one of the largest in the state.
This latest case makes four infections confirmed to date among long term care employees, Anderson said. Three others were reported by state health officials last week.
Kal膩kaua Gardens, a different senior living community, has completed testing of 175 employees and results have returned negative. The two employees who were found to be COVID-19 positive on June 5 had worked in the kitchen and not directly with patients.
The other case was found in a worker at Maunalani Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, which prompted the testing of 550 health care workers at the Arcadia Family of Companies, according to a . About 60 other nursing home patients and senior-living residents who had symptoms have all tested negative for COVID-19, according to the report.
