Lindsay Gardens nursing center resident dies from COVID-19, health officials say
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Tulare County Heath and Human Services reported a resident at Lindsay Gardens Nursing Rehabilitation has died from COVID-19.
The facility reported new cases on Monday, bringing the totals to 38 residents and 14 employees who have tested positive for the virus.
Lindsay Gardens is one of three nursing homes in Tulare County that have reported outbreaks.
The facility first reported the outbreak last Wednesday.
This is a breaking news update. The original story on the outbreak follows below.
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A spokesperson for Lindsay Gardens Nursing and Rehabilitation says they learned a resident who was sent to the hospital with COVID-19 symptoms tested positive on Tuesday.
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They requested the county test other residents with symptoms, later confirming they were also positive for COVID-19.
Those patients are now in an isolated area.
Officials say, "We take our infection control protocols very seriously, and we are in communication with local and state health authorities about the positive tests we have had. We want to limit the spread to the greatest extent possible."
Lindsay Gardens is the second nursing facility in Tulare County to report an outbreak of the virus after The Redwood Springs Health Center in Visalia said 148 people at their facility have tested positive for COVID-19 and eight have died.
Public health officials are working to track down who COVID-19 positive patients have contacted while sick.
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"It's important that we identify these individuals and have them go in a self-quarantine situation," says Deborah Pacyna with the California Association of Health Facilities.
Pacyna says though the state can shut down a facility, they try not to because of the impact it can have on the resident.
She says facilities can call the county and state for help if the virus impacts staff.
"County health departments have the ability to call in people from other facilities to help, or call the state, which now has strike teams to help," she said.
Lindsay Gardens officials said staff members will not return to the facility until they're cleared under recommended medical protocols.
For more news coverage on the coronavirus and COVID-19 go to ABC30.com/coronavirus
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above is from a previous broadcast.
