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RI nursing homes seeing new spike in COVID cases

Providence Journal - 11/12/2020

COVID cases are spiking in Rhode Island nursing homes.

At least 230 new nursing home resident cases were reported in the two weeks leading up to Wednesday, according to a state data update. Over the summer lull, cases had hovered at around 35 every two weeks. They’d slowly ticked up over the autumn, with just under 100 cases in the two weeks leading up to Nov. 4.

Wednesday’s report showed a significant and alarming uptick for the hardest-hit facilities in the state.

“We are seeing elevated rates of community transmission all throughout Rhode Island,” said Health Department spokesman Joseph Wendelken. “While the rates in nursing homes are not what they were in March and April, we are definitely seeing some of that community transmission spill over into nursing homes. The staff people who work in nursing homes are in the community. That may be one contributing factor.”

Among the homes seeing major outbreaks: Silver Creek Manor in Bristol, which has had at least 65 positive cases in the last two weeks. That home had escaped major outbreaks in the outbreak so far.

A woman answering the phone Thursday morning at Silver Creek Manor said there was no one available to speak to a reporter.

"They're all tied up with patients right now," she said.

The Mansion Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Central Falls has had between 45 to 49 cases in the last two weeks. That’s out of roughly 55 residents. It had had zero cases throughout the pandemic until routine testing identified three cases shortly before Halloween, owner and president John Chopoorian said.

“We’re so distraught about this uptick, because we’ve gone eight months, COVID-free staff and residents,” Chopoorian said.

None of the residents so far has shown any significant symptoms, and none has needed to be hospitalized, Chopoorian said. One staff member who tested positive does have flu-like symptoms, he said.

They’re not sure how it got into the home, Chopoorian said. But they do know what’s helped: The work of the state Health Department and the National Guard.

“They’ve been incredible,” Chopoorian said. “We think the governor has done an incredibly good job to rally the necessary troops to get us the resources we need.”

Most of the roughly 85 nursing homes in the state have had multiple cases. Off-hand, the state could only identify one that has had none at all. Until the last few weeks, the Mansion Center had been on that list.

As had Roberts Health Centre, a small, family-owned, five-star facility in North Kingstown that touts its hotel-like atmosphere. It is now dealing with at least 40 positive cases among residents. The first case it identified identified was a symptomatic resident, owner Richard Catallozzi said. Then everyone got tested, and it showed a major problem.

“We’re basically treating the whole building,” Catallozzi said. He added: “It’s so insidious. It’s invisible, silent. We’re scratching our heads too.”

Two residents died after testing positive, Catallozzi said. They had been on comfort measures only, he said.

“I’m involved with these people with my heart and soul,” said Catallozzi, who has owned the facility since 1982. “I’m not a big chain. It’s me and these 66 patients.”

Catallozzi also credited the National Guard with its help.

“We are fighting this,” he said.

More to come.

bamaral@providencejournal.com

(401) 277-7615

On Twitter: @bamaral44

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI nursing homes seeing new spike in COVID cases

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