Governor Cooper announced Wednesday that more than 60 cases of COVID-19 have been reported at a long-term assisted living facility in Orange County.
Two people there have died, he said.
The home, on Mount Sinai Road in Durham, is currently operated by the for-profit group PruittHealth.
State representatives Graig Meyer and Verla Insko and state Senator Valerie Foushee released a joint statement shortly after Cooper’s press conference, saying they have full faith in the Orange County Health Department, Duke Health, and UNC Health.
“We want to express our most sincere care for the residents and staff at PruittHealth’s Carolina Point facility,” they said. “We also understand how this must feel to their concerned families who are learning this news.”
An April 2 press release from the Orange County Health Department said that two cases had been reported at the facility: a staff member and a resident. Both individuals were moved to a separate facility. The county government’s website has not reported any new cases there since. The health department did not immediately respond to the INDY’s request for clarification.
When the INDY reached out to PruittHealth’s facility for comment, a staff member hung up after a reporter mentioned the COVID-19 cases. It did not respond to subsequent phone calls or written requests for comment.
In 2008, while operated under a different for-profit company, the facility shut down after state investigations detailed severe health and safety concerns.
A 2019 inspection reported that a resident with dementia had been found outside lying in a drainage ditch with a body temperature of 90.5 degrees Fahrenheit. The resident was then taken to the hospital. The inspection found that there was no threat of immediate harm to other residents.
Contact digital content manager Sara Pequeño at spequeno@indyweek.com.
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