>> Experts: Nursing home cases a sign of how bad coronavirus is
Three more residents of the skilled nursing center and two staff are hospitalized at Upper Valley Medical Center, with tests pending on those patients, according to a release issued Thursday night from the health department.
Five additional Koester Pavilion staff have been tested. Results are pending but should take between 24 and 48 hours, the department stated.
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Miami County Public Health and epidemiologists from the Ohio Department of Health are working with Koester Pavilion to identify and contact those who may have been exposed to the confirmed cases.
Earlier Thursday, department spokeswoman Vicky Knisley-Henry said 10 other Koester residents, six staff members and a visitor were in quarantine, including three who are hospitalized.
Premier Health, which owns Koester Pavilion and Upper Valley Medical Center, issued the following statement Thursday night:
“These positive cases are not unexpected given that public health officials have anticipated that COVID-19 will spread through community contact in our region, state and nation. Patients at UVMC who are ‘presumptive positive’ for COVID-19 continue to be kept in isolation. Other precautions taken at the hospital include securing additional personal protective equipment, taking additional measures to ensure patients with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 are separated from other patients, and tightening visitor restrictions. We also have postponed elective surgeries, made changes in our nutrition services, and have set up internal hotlines to support our physicians and employees.
“Koester Pavilion employees are taking several precautions as they care for their residents, including monitoring themselves for symptoms upon leaving and returning home, and upon arriving at and leaving the skilled nursing facility.
“Our clinical and support teams have trained extensively for this eventuality and are well-prepared to treat patients with COVID-19 while ensuring the safety of our patients and staff.”
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