Nursing Home Owners Plea For Testing To Curb Outbreaks As Deaths Surpass 10,000
Ohio and Washington reports were unavailable for a Wall Street Journal survey finding at least 10,700 deaths among more than 35 states in facilities for seniors. Public health experts say nursing homes need better testing before allowing visitors again, once states reopen. Other news on nursing homes is from New York, Louisiana and Indiana.
The Wall Street Journal:
Coronavirus Deaths In U.S. Nursing, Long-Term Care Facilities Top 10,000
The number of U.S. coronavirus-linked deaths in long-term care facilities including nursing homes has eclipsed 10,000, as nursing-home owners said they are still struggling to access the testing they need to detect and curb outbreaks. A growing number of state health departments are reporting data, including fatalities, linked to facilities that primarily house older people who often are in frail health and particularly vulnerable to infection from the new coronavirus. (Kamp and Wilde Mathews, 4/22)
WBUR:
In New York Nursing Homes, Death Comes To Facilities With More People Of Color
There's one thing that distinguishes the nursing homes in New York that have reported patient deaths from COVID-19. According to an NPR analysis, they are far more likely to be made up of people of color. NPR looked at 78 nursing homes in New York in which six or more residents have died of COVID-19. In one facility, 55 people have died as of April 20. Ten others report 30 or more deaths. (Shapiro, Jingnan and Benincasa, 4/22)
New Orleans Times-Picayune:
Coronavirus Death Toll In Louisiana Adult Residential Care Facilities Nears 500; More Than 2,400 Total Cases
Deaths from coronavirus in adult residential health care facilities, including nursing homes, rose to 464 Wednesday, an increase of 61 deaths from Monday, the last time the state reported on the impact the virus has had on those in such homes. There are now 2,402 confirmed cases in 205 facilities, the state reported Wednesday. But that total comes from an expanded pool of homes, unlike before, when the tally was focused on nursing homes. Now, according to the Louisiana Department of Health update, the totals include nursing homes, assisted living facilities, inpatient psychiatric/behavioral health and drug treatment facilities. (Roberts III, 4/22)
Indianapolis Star:
Coronavirus Kills Two Nursing Home Workers In Indianapolis
State regulators are investigating the coronavirus-related deaths of two employees of the same Indianapolis nursing home. The Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration is pursuing a safety compliance inspection at Wildwood Health Care, 7301 E. 16th St., after the deaths of two employees were reported to the state last week, agency spokeswoman Stephanie McFarland confirmed to IndyStar on Wednesday. (Hopkins, 4/22)
