PCHS COVID-19 cases holding at 22

COVID-19 cases of Perkins County Health Services residents and employees stands at 22 as of Tuesday, July 28.

PCHS CEO Neil Hilton said 13 residents at Golden Ours Convalescent Home have tested positive for the coronavirus since the outbreak was first reported July 14. 

In addition, nine employees of the home have tested positive from July 14-22.

The last positive test came back Saturday, July 25, marking the 13th resident to test positive. 

Hilton said the outbreak among patients has slowed but they aren’t backing off any precautions to limit the spread of the virus. 

The first four Golden Ours residents tested positive on July 17. The situation began to peak Wednesday, July 22 when four more residents tested positive, followed by four more the following day. 

The unknown of whether more residents might test positive created a great deal of stress and strain among the staff. 

“It was starting to wear on everybody. You betcha,” he noted. Hilton said things began to look up when no one tested positive Friday and only one Saturday. 

Hilton said they had cleared the seven rooms in north wing of the home to specifically house coronavirus residents. 

When the number of cases began to explode last week, Hilton said they knew they had to begin transferring infected residents to other hospitals. Of the 13 who tested positive, seven were transferred, five remain at Golden Ours while one resident in his late 90s passed away. 

Hilton said they transferred four residents on Wednesday, one on Thursday and two on Friday to hospitals in North Platte, Ogallala and McCook.

Hilton said the residents were transferred to give them the best opportunity to overcome the virus. 

Testing continues

Hilton said every resident in Golden Ours and Park Ridge assisted living has been tested twice, the results of the second test pending as of Tuesday. 

If those results come back negative, Hilton said the current wave of infections could be subsiding. 

He added they have tested more than 70 additional employees, some more than once. Thus far, there have been no positive tests among them.  Testing will continue weekly for the time being, he added.

The most recent positive employee test occurred July 22. Between July 14-22, a total of nine employees tested positive. Eight of those employees have been in quarantine at home while one has been hospitalized in Grant.

Hilton said it takes 10-14 days of quarantine to ensure the virus is no longer communicable.  If no more positive tests come back on employees, he said everyone infected could be back to work by Aug. 5. No visitors are allowed at Golden Ours or Park Ridge at this time. 

People visiting the clinic or hospital are asked to keep accompaniment to a minimum, when possible. 

Temperatures will be taken at the door and masks are required when in the two facilities.