Medical Lodges Nevada grappling with potential COVID-19 exposure

Friday, August 14, 2020

Medical Lodges Nevada, a skilled nursing facility, is dealing with potential COVID-19 exposure within its confines. When reached by phone Thursday afternoon, Medical Lodges administrator Susan Houser declined to comment on the situation, and instead referred questions to Medical Lodges corporate office. Upon making contact with the corporate office, their representative declined to further elaborate — but did refer the Daily Mail to their website, which has an update confirming the positive case.

The Vernon County Health Department was also unable to confirm the case, noting that the individual who tested positive resides in Bates County. This individual was classified as a "non-direct care employee." Examples of that include, but are not limited to — custodial and cafeteria workers, as well as delivery-service personnel. Additionally, when reached by phone both Thursday and Friday, the Bates County Health Department also declined comment.

"If any long term care facilities receive a positive COVID-19 case, regarding residents or employees that live in Vernon County, then we will perform our contact-tracing and disease investigations," said Vernon County Health Department administrator, Steve Durnell on Thursday. "We will notify all close contacts, and release any information needed to protect the public, in regard to local community exposure. We will also assist the facility in complying with (any state) requirements."

Posted to their Facebook page on Aug. 12, the Bates County Health Department confirmed four positive cases of COVID-19. "All contact tracing has been done on three of the cases, and any parties that have had close-contact, as reported to us by the positive cases, were notified," read the post. "We are still attempting to reach one of the cases."

An unnamed source, whose family member is a resident there, confirmed with the Daily Mail Wednesday evening that the facility is looking to administer COVID-19 testing to all residents and staff, and was asked to verbally consent on the family member's behalf. The testing was also confirmed in their news release. As previously reported by the Daily Mail, Medical Lodges Nevada has designated an isolation wing within its facility for potential COVID-19 patients. The facility has been closed off to the public since the onset of the global health pandemic earlier this spring.

The Medical Lodges (Nevada) website posted a newsletter dated Aug. 12, confirming its facility did in fact have a positive case linked to them. Addressed to its "residents and family members," the newsletter read:

"We want to notify you that a non-direct care employee at Medicalodges Nevada has tested positive with COVID-19. This employee has been restricted from working and will continue to be restricted until they meet the CDC required return to work criteria. Please know we are strictly adhering to guidance from the CDC and directions from the state and local health departments to ensure we are taking all the appropriate steps. We will be testing all our residents and employees this week. We will contact you if you or your loved one is suspected to have, is diagnosed with or tests positive for COVID-19. We expect to start receiving results early next week."

The statement continued: "Resident safety is our top priority and we are doing what we can to prevent as much as possible the spread of COVID-19. All our employees will be utilizing all appropriate protective equipment until further notice. We do have adequate supplies of protective equipment. We have increased the frequency of monitoring residents and employees for COVID-19 symptoms, isolating residents with symptoms and restricting from work employees who have symptoms. Group dining and group activities are restricted. Residents are restricted to their rooms, including for meals, and are expected to wear a mask if they must leave their room. Visitors continue to be restricted."

Summed up the statement: "We also understand connecting with family members is important to our residents. Family and friends are encouraged to connect with their loved ones through video chat, calling, texting, or other social media formats and our employees are here to help facilitate those connections."

As of press time Friday, no additional cases have been linked to the facility.