Coroner's report: 7 COVID-19 nursing home deaths last week, 6 of them from Willow Valley

Willow Valley Communities has seen five more residents die from COVID-19 a week after its first two deaths, a county coroner’s report shows.

An additional Willow Valley resident died at a hospital.

The eight deaths at the 2,400-resident retirement community in West Lampeter Township represents 1.2% of its 419 nursing and 232 personal care beds.

The retirement community did not respond to LNP | LancasterOnline’s request for comment.

Lancashire Hall was the only other of 25 nursing homes in Lancaster County to report a COVID-19 death in the past week, according to the coroner. The Manheim Township nursing home had one death, bringing its total to 27 — 24 at the facility and three at a hospital — or 11.25% of its 240 beds.

This is the ninth consecutive weekly coroner’s report showing nursing home deaths in the single digits.

Dr. Stephen Diamantoni, county coroner, reported Thursday a total of 378 COVID-19 deaths in Lancaster County, up from 371 on July 15. A total of 316 of those deaths happened in nursing or personal-care homes, up from 309.

The nursing/personal-care homes tally, which includes 243 deaths at the facilities and 73 that happened after transfer to a hospital, represent more than 83% of the county’s total COVID-19 deaths.

Conestoga View has the most COVID-19 nursing home deaths in the state. Seventy-eight of its residents have died there or in a hospital.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Conestoga View has been the county nursing facility with the highest number of residents dying from the virus. Luther Acres is second with 29 deaths, followed by Lancashire Hall with 27.

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Crédito: JEFF HAWKES | Staff Writer