Nursing homes hit hard by COVID-19

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LIBERTY, NY — Nursing homes across the country are being hit hard by the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes COVID-19. That includes Sullivan County where public health director Nancy McGraw announced on April 8 that five new cases were confirmed at the Care Center at Sunset Lake.

“A total of five individuals, including two staff members, at our nursing home tested positive this week for the virus,” said McGraw. “The employees have been self-isolating since receiving their results, and the residents are isolating at the care center. Administration and public health continue to monitor the situation closely in collaboration with the NYS Department of Health.”

Health & Family Services commissioner Stephanie Brown said, “We continue to do everything in our power to guard against the further spread, which is why visitation, admissions, and face-to-face medical appointments have all been halted to the care center for nearly a month, and the particular units in which these residents are cared for have been isolated with staff also remaining restricted to their respective units.”

The New York State Department of Health released statewide figures on April 13 that showed that at least 1,064 elderly residents have been killed by the virus in nursing homes in the state, including 113 in Westchester County.

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said the state will not release information on specific nursing homes because of medical privacy laws, but the nursing home issue is not specific to New York.

According to research conducted by USA Today, “At least 2,300 long-term care facilities in 37 states have reported positive cases of COVID-19, according to data obtained from state agencies. More than 3,000 residents have died.

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covid-19, nursing homes, hit hard, sunset lake, nancy mcgraw, sullivan county

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