Trending
WHEELING -- A resident and three workers at Good Shepherd Nursing Home have tested positive for COVID-19 after the entire staff and everyone living at the facility in Wheeling were tested for the coronavirus last week.
The three workers were asymptomatic, while the resident had previously tested positive in the spring in what health officials termed a "persistently positive" patient, facility Administrator Donald Kirsch said.
The nursing home last week tested all 175 residents and 210 staff after one of its workers was confirmed to have the coronavirus July 7.
Kirsch said he spoke Tuesday with state health officials who noted that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control is beginning to see more cases that are "persistently positive," but it does not appear the person is capable of infecting others. However, it's recommended facilities should treat them as if they have the virus and the resident is now in isolation, Kirsch said.
The three workers are asymptomatic, which means they carry the virus and are capable of transmitting it to others, but less so than those who are showing symptoms. The workers are currently self-isolating at home, Kirsch said.
Good Shepherd staff members are working to contact all residents, families and regulators about the testing results.
According to guidance from the West Virginia Bureau of Public Health, the nursing home must now test all residents and all staff every seven days until there is a 14-day period with no new cases.
"We are working closely with the Ohio County Health Department and the Ohio County Office of Homeland Security to accomplish this goal," Kirsch said.
Visitation was suspended last week and will not return until after that period in which there are no new cases, Kirsch said.
Kirsch thanked the staff for using proper infection control procedures to keep Good Shepherd residents safe, along with families for their patience.
"We are also continuing to ask our staff to be careful regarding social contact with groups now that our economy is reopening," he said. "We will continue to communicate with all parties, as further developments arise."
There has been a surge of new COVID-19 cases in Ohio County recently, with 78 new cases over the past three weeks, which account for nearly half of the 158 total cases in the county since the pandemic began.
-
4 New Positive Cases in Ohio County
The Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department on Wednesday announced four new positive cases of COVID-19 in Ohio County, while the Marshall County Health Department announced five new cases.