Wake County reported its second outbreak of coronavirus at an east Raleigh rehabilitation center.
Five people—three patients and two staff members—tested positive for the virus at Sunnybrook Rehabilitation Center, a long-term care facility in close proximity to WakeMed Hospital. One patient is being treated at WakeMed while the other two are recovering in isolation at the clinic Two employees are self-quarantining at home.
Twenty-five others at the facility showed symptoms of the virus, Wake County officials said Monday. Those test results are still being analyzed. The facility has 95 beds.
“We consider residents of long-term care facilities like this one to be at higher risk for serious illness if they contract COVID-19, because they’re generally older and may have other health conditions,” Wake County’s medical director Jose Cabanas said in a press statement. “That’s why we’re working closely with the center to conduct additional testing to prevent the spread of the virus and keep people safe.”
The county also reported another employee tested positive for the virus at Wellington Rehabilitation and Healthcare in Knightdale, bringing its cases up to 48.
As of Monday, the state has identified over 29 outbreaks at nursing homes throughout the state. Visitors have been banned from those facilities and staff are being screened for symptoms of the virus daily.
Contact Raleigh news editor Leigh Tauss at ltauss@indyweek.com.
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