Another Whatcom nursing home says 2 healthcare workers, 2 residents have coronavirus
Two medical professionals who provide services at a Blaine nursing home have tested positive for COVID-19, the new coronavirus, according to officials at the facility. Two residents at the facility also have tested positive for the new coronavirus.
Shawn Neisteadt, a spokesperson for Good Samaritan Society — a South Dakota-based not-for-profit provider of senior housing and services, including the Stafholt in Blaine — confirmed positive tests in an email to The Bellingham Herald late Sunday, March 29.
“We have notified all family members about this situation and are caring for these two residents in isolation,” Neisteadt wrote. “Our team is following CDC infection control protocols and taking extra precautions to monitor the health of staff and residents who may have been exposed.”
The facility — which provides short-term rehabilitation, long-term skilled nursing care and respite care, according to its website — also is working with the Washington State Department of Health and following its guidance on how to evaluate the situation, Neisteadt reported.
“The health, safety and well-being of our residents, staff and the community we serve remains our top priority,” Neisteadt wrote.
The Stafholt, at at 456 C St., is not the first Whatcom County facility to be hit by the coronavirus pandemic:
▪ An outbreak at the Shuksan Healthcare Center in Bellingham has spread to 52 people — 33 residents and 19 employees. Three of the residents who tested positive have since died and a fourth has been transferred to St. Joseph hospital. Another former resident at Shuksan died at home 10 days after being discharged from the center, and a test came back the day after his death positive for COVID-19.
▪ The Whatcom County Health Department announced March 22 that a resident at Lynden Manor has tested positive for the respiratory illness.
▪ A man in his 90s who was previously a resident at Summit Place Assisted Living in Bellingham died at St. Joseph hospital. His death was reported March 26.
▪ On Friday, March 27, Spring Creek by Bonaventure, a Bellingham senior living facility, confirmed that a resident tested positive for the new coronavirus.
As of Sunday, the health department reported 116 Whatcom County residents have tested positive for COVID-19 and seven of those have died.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
COVID-19, the new coronavirus, is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2.
The disease is spread through contact between people within six feet of each other, especially through coughing and sneezing that expels respiratory droplets that land in the mouths or noses of people nearby.
Although most of the cases have been mild, the disease is especially dangerous for the elderly and others with weaker immune systems.
Click the drop-down icon in the upper right of this card for more information on symptoms and how to stop its spread.
What you can do
Here’s what you can do to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, according to the Whatcom County Health Department.
▪ Keep six feet between yourself and others when in public.
▪ Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
▪ Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth with hands that haven’t been washed.
▪ Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, throw the tissue in the trash and then wash your hands.
▪ Stay home if you feel sick. Avoid others who are sick.
▪ If your symptoms are severe and require medical care, call your doctor first.
This story was originally published March 30, 2020 at 8:08 AM.
