A nursing home in Hilo is currently grappling with a recent COVID-19 outbreak, which has resulted in 93 cases and one fatality.
The Hawaii Department of Health was notified about the outbreak at Life Care Center of Hilo in early April and has been providing technical assistance to the facility.
As of now, the facility has reported a total of 93 cases, including 76 residents and 17 staff members. Unfortunately, one resident who tested positive for COVID-19 passed away after being transferred to the hospital, according to the DOH.
However, by implementing enhanced infection prevention measures in consultation with the DOH, the number of new cases has decreased.
In the past week, no new cases have been identified, as stated by the DOH.
This skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility has previously encountered outbreaks earlier during the pandemic, specifically in October 2020 and the summer of 2021.
The DOH has infection preventionists who can offer guidance, on-site assessments, and training to help facilities implement the best practices in infection prevention and control. During an outbreak, these experts work closely with staff to review the situation and recommend actions to prevent the further spread of the disease.
According to the DOH, “High COVID-19 vaccination and booster uptake in nursing homes, along with the implementation of other layered mitigation measures, have significantly reduced the number of hospitalizations and deaths associated with outbreaks in these settings. Unfortunately, once a COVID-19 outbreak has started in a nursing home, it can be very challenging to control, and deaths can still occur.”
The Star-Advertiser attempted to contact the administrator of the Life Care Center of Hilo but has not received a response.
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