Two more positives at Golden Ours
While the COVID-19 outbreak in the Golden Ours Convalescent Home in Grant has slowed, two more positive tests came back last week—one resident and one employee.
Perkins County Health Services CEO Neil Hilton said the employee case was confirmed on Aug.4 while the resident’s case, a woman in her 80s, was confirmed Aug. 7.
He said the resident remains at Golden Ours in a wing dedicated to COVID-19 patients.
Hilton said all 14 residents in Golden Ours and 10 in Park Ridge assisted living were tested early last week.
He was hopeful all 24 would come back negative—23 of the 24 did.
The two newest cases come from direct contact. The employee was working primarily in the Covid wing and the resident was a roommate of a resident who had tested positive several weeks ago.
What’s ironic, Hilton said, is that the resident with the newest case of the virus had tested negative twice before testing positive.
Precautionary measures, like isolation and use of protective clothing, masks and gowns, were put in place at the onset of the outbreak.
Hilton said they have been in consultation with Nebraska Health and Human Services and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. With those measures already in place, they didn’t see the need to retest all residents.
However, they will begin re-testing employees who came in closest contact with the Golden Ours employee. It may require re-testing all employees, he noted.
On a positive note, he said four of the six patients in the Covid wing are on the verge of recovery and will be allowed to return to their own rooms shortly.
Areas cases showing up
In the past seven days the Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department has been notified of 12 people who have tested positive for COVID-19.
New cases include the following:
• Two Perkins County residents – a male in his teens and a female in her 80’s, both related to direct contact.
• Five Keith County residents – a male in his 60’s and a female in her 30’s related to direct contact, a female in her 40’s and a female in her 60’s both related to travel, and a female in her 50’s related to community spread.
• One Chase County resident – a male in his 60’s, related to travel.
• One Hitchcock County resident – a male in his 30’s, related to direct contact with another confirmed case of COVID-19.
• One Furnas County resident – a male in his 50’s related to direct contact.
• One Red Willow County resident – a female in her 60’s related to community spread.
These cases bring the total to 91 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Fifty-four of the cases have recovered.
SWNPHD said five more deaths related to COVID-19 have been confirmed in the health district in the last week. All were individuals over the age of 80, including one male and four females. This brings the total to eight deaths due to COVID-19 in SWNPHD. “The higher numbers of cases and deaths in the last few weeks highlights the importance of separating those who are sick from the rest of the public,” states Melissa Propp, RN Public Health Nurse.
“Please stay home if you have any symptoms—don’t wait until you feel ‘sick enough’ to stay home. It doesn’t take severe symptoms to pass it on.” she added.