Health
Festus long-term care facility reports 64 cases of coronavirus
Site personnel test people in their cars at a BJC HealthCare pre-registration coronavirus testing site in St. Louis on Tuesday, March 24, 2020. In order to get tested patients must receive a referral from a healthcare provider after pre-screening. Photo by Colter Peterson, cpeterson@post-dispatch.com.
FESTUS — There are 64 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Festus Manor Care Center, Jefferson County health officials said Sunday.
Last week, officials reported six cases at the facility. The newly reported numbers were released after all residents and staff in the building were tested, officials said.
The Festus care center is now suffering an outbreak similar to one at Frontier Health and Rehabilitation in St. Charles, which has reported several dozen cases and had seen at least 11 coronavirus-related deaths as of Saturday.
The Jefferson County Health Department is sending personal protective equipment to Festus Manor, including N95 masks, goggles, Tyvek suits and shields. Festus Manor officials are coordinating with Mercy Hospital, according to a statement released Sunday.
“As we continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, our team at Festus Manor is grateful for the continued support by Mercy Hospital, the Jefferson County Health Department and the entire community of Festus,” Jeanne Dirschuweit, administrator at Festus Manor, said in a statement. “The only way we can eradicate this disease is through full transparency and commitment to safety protocols from the entire community, beginning with facility-wide testing.”
County health officials are currently reporting 210 COVID-19 cases in Jefferson County and three deaths.
Other long-term care facilities in the St. Louis area have also struggled with the rapid spread of the virus, which can be more severe for the elderly and people with preexisting conditions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least two nursing home residents in a Monroe County facility have died of the coronavirus, and five residents of a St. Louis nursing home have also died.
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Health Festus long-term care facility reports 64 cases of coronavirus - STLtoday.com
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