More coronavirus cases found at Westmoreland Manor

Westmoreland officials said Tuesday another 12 residents and an additional staffer at the county-owned nursing home in Hempfield tested positive for coronavirus.

The latest test results means that 9.5% of the Westmoreland Manor’s 336 residents are infected. Federally mandated baseline testing for the virus started last week at the facility.

On Monday, the county announced initial testing found 20 residents, one county employee and a private nurse had tested positive. Most of the infected residents were asymptomatic, county officials said earlier this week.

Three of the Manor’s nine housing units have been identified as “red zones’ within the facility to house residents infected with the coronavirus. The initial round of testing still is ongoing with one unit remaining, according to the county’s announcement.

Staff diagnosed with covid-19 have been removed from the facility and are isolating at home, county officials said.

No residents had tested positive for the coronavirus prior to this week.

“The Manor will continue to test all staff and residents that tested negative for the virus every three to seven days until 14 days since the most recent positive result has passed. During this ever-fluid situation, the Manor has received assistance and support from the Regional Response Health Collaboration Program,” the county said in its statement.

That program was created in July by the state Department of Human Services along with its health department and emergency management agency and the federal Centers For Disease Control to help long-term care facilities deal with the coronavirus threat.

According the state’s website, the program was created to help facilities implement best practices in infection control, implement contact tracing programs, support clinical care through on-site and telemedicine services and provide remote monitoring and consultation with physicians. It will also assist in identifying alternate care arrangements for patients no longer requiring acute care but needing assistance in returning to their long-term care facilities.

Commissioner Sean Kertes said county officials have not pinpointed how the virus was brought into the Manor but that additional precautions have been put into place to protect residents and staff.

“As long as we can keep people isolated and keep the numbers low, I think we can do a great job of stopping it in it’s tracks,” Kertes said. “It just shows the importance of, when dealing with an at risk population, you have to wear masks, wash hands and take it seriously.”