JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — UPDATE 3/19/2020:
Camellia at Deerwood said Thursday that 4 of its residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and an additional resident has a presumed positive diagnosis. To the facility’s knowledge, another resident has one pending test.
UPDATE 3/17/2020:
Camellia at Deerwood said four of its residents have been diagnosed with coronavirus (COVID-19). The facility’s executive director released the following statement:
"The health and safety of our residents and associates remains the top priority for our senior living community. We continue to follow the recommendations and guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Florida Department of Health (DOH), the Agency for Healthcare Administration (ACHA), and more. These measures also adhere to the recently released Florida Emergency Order related to visitors within residential care environments as well. Both the Florida DOH and ACHA have been closely involved (including frequent visits to our community). We greatly appreciate their ongoing support and guidance as well as support from our residents, family members, associates, and local healthcare professionals.
"We have maintained open and transparent communication with our residents, family members, and associates. We have been informed and have shared that four of our residents have confirmed diagnoses of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19). At this time there are no remaining pending tests for residents from Camellia at Deerwood.
"We understand interest in this story is high and we appreciate the respect for privacy each of our residents, family members, and associates deserve.
"Sincerely,
Renea McGrath
Senior Executive Director"
SEE THE RELEASE FROM THE FACILITY BELOW:
UPDATE 3/15/2020:
The Camellia at Deerwood retirement community has confirmed that it was the facility that housed a patient who tested positive for COVID-19.
RELEASE FROM FACILITY:
ORIGINAL STORY:
A spokesperson at Memorial Hospital said the health department informed them late Thursday night of a patient that tested positive for the COVID-19 at their facility. The patient was in isolation at the time.
The Florida Department of Health announced the first Duval County case of the COVID-19 late Thursday night. The department said an 83-year-old man tested positive and is isolated.
Mayor Lenny Curry of Jacksonville mentioned the case in a news briefing Friday. In the same briefing, the chief of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said the man who tested positive came from an assisted living facility in the Town Center area.
According to Curry, when first responders arrived there, they had no clue the man had the coronavirus. As a result, five first responders were quarantined.
Curry said the emergency operations center is working with the facility and are working with first responders to prevent exposure.
We reached out to the facility, but were told they could not confirm or deny at this time -- but a manager would get back to us.
In a statement on their website it says: “The health and safety of our residents and associates in all of our senior living communities is our number one priority. Currently, Grace Management, Inc. does not have any diagnosed cases of residents or associates being infected with COVID-19 (Coronavirus). We have implemented additional protocols and precautionary measures based upon the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as outlined below. Our team continues to closely monitor our communities for any signs of the virus and we are providing ongoing education and resources.” Although, it says 3/13/2020 on the statement, we’re unsure when that was published.
On Friday, a home health aide – tells Action News Jax the case was at Camellia at Deerwood, where she works six days out of the week.
She says, “There was a meeting at 9 o’clock we are all the residents were told to come downstairs. They told everybody that there was a resident that was quarantined at Camellia with COVID-19 as a confirmed case.”
In the meeting she says, “They were telling residents that they weren’t allowed to post it on Facebook, don’t talk about it on social media.”
She says the facility is now on lockdown, cancelling all activities and visitations.
Action News Jax watched as an ambulance and firetruck arrived at Camellia at Deerwood on Friday. Some first responders were wearing face masks.
We spoke with family members who say the case was also at Camellia at Deerword.
And this home health aide believes loved ones should know what’s going on.
“There are so many people at this facility where their loved ones live out of state or out of town and they deserve to know what’s going on with their loved ones.”
We reached out to Camellia several times on Friday for a response. We’re told they will reach out when they are ready to speak with us.
Read the statement Memorial Hospital sent Action News Jax Friday morning below:
Memorial Hospital has protocols in place to care for patients with infectious diseases, and we have been working diligently to help ensure we’re prepared for COVID-19 cases. Late last night, we were notified by the Health Department that we have a patient in our facility who tested positive for COVID-19. The patient was in isolation at the time.
Last week, as we often do during heavy influenza outbreaks, we instituted visitor restrictions. Visitors and patients are being directed to use specific entrances so they can all be screened. We have positioned supplies at points of entry, so that any potential symptomatic patient who arrives can be properly masked and immediately isolated.
We will continue to reinforce infection prevention protocols and are working in partnership with the Health Department and the CDC.
Watch the update from Curry regarding the coronavirus in Jacksonville below:
For live updates on the coronavirus, click here.
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