Two new outbreaks have been reported at long-term facilities run by Brookdale Senior Living in North Raleigh and Wake Forest.
Wake County officials confirmed the outbreaks Tuesday night, but did not disclose how many people tested positive for coronavirus. Staff and residents at the nursing homes were affected by the outbreak. The county is defining an outbreak as “two or more” confirmed cases of the virus.
“Rapidly identifying cases among residents and staff at congregate care outbreak sites is key to limiting the spread of COVID-19,” Wake County Emergency Operations Center’s Jeff Williams said in a press statement Tuesday. “We’re working closely with the centers to conduct additional testing and provide guidance to prevent the further spread of the virus.”
The state Department of Health and Human Services reports there are 64 ongoing outbreaks at North Carolina nursing homes, including four in Wake County. There have been 2,222 confirmed cases of the virus at those facilities and so far 297 people have died.
While the state entered phase one of reopening this past weekend, restrictions on nursing homes will remain in place through phase three, including mandatory screenings of employees for symptoms of the virus. Visitors are being restricted and social distancing measures are being implemented at those facilities.
People over the age of 65 with underlying conditions are most at risk of dying from the virus. Public health data shows that while seniors account for 21 percent of North Carolina’s confirmed cases of the virus, they make up 81 percent of the state’s fatalities.
Contact Raleigh news editor Leigh Tauss at ltauss@indyweek.com.
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