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STATE HEALTH
OFFICIALS ANNOUNCE RESULTS OF COVID-19 TESTING IN NURSING HOMES
Also today, Dr. Cathy Slemp, State Health Officer and Commissioner of the
DHHR's Bureau for Public Health, along with DHHR Secretary Bill Crouch,
shared the results of Gov. Justice’s
recent directive that made West Virginia the
first state in the country to require the testing of all residents and
staff at all nursing homes statewide.
In total, 22,598 people at 123 nursing homes were tested; including 8,911
residents and 13,687 staff members.
At the time of the testing, six percent of facilities already had
COVID-19 cases identified. The initiative resulted in new identification
of 28 facilities with at least one individual positive for
COVID-19.
New individuals positive for COVID-19 was more common among staff.
Thirty-one staff tested positive, accounting for 74 percent of the cases
identified during the initial testing, while 11 residents tested newly
positive (26 percent of the cases).
Sixty-four percent of facilities had only staff test positive at initial
testing. In the majority of these (20 facilities, 87%), the new finding
was a single positive resident or staff person (14 staff, 6
residents).
In eight facilities, newly identified positive cases resulted in new
outbreaks (two or more cases in residents or staff). Staff were involved
more than residents (17 staff; 5 residents). Of these outbreaks, six have
had no additional cases. |