National Guard set to arrive at Westmoreland Manor Sunday morning

Six members of the Pennsylvania National Guard are scheduled to arrive at the Westmoreland Manor by 6 a.m. on Sunday to assist with a covid-19 outbreak at the county-owned nursing home, county officials announced.

The Westmoreland County commissioners on Thursday requested help with testing from the Guard so the staff could be free to focus on patient care.

The Guard members are expected to be at the Hempfield facility through at least Tuesday, officials said.

The county also has asked the National Guard to provide additional personal protective equipment (PPE) because the Manor’s staff is using about 8,400 gowns each day.

The nursing home has 336 residents and a staff of more than 400 people.

As of Friday, 47 patients and 19 employees had tested positive for covid-19.

On Saturday, county officials said two more employees and one contracted staff member tested positive for the virus.

Until the current outbreak was identified, no residents at the Manor had tested positive for coronavirus since the onset of the pandemic in March.

Residents who test positive for covid-19 are moved to a designated unit inside the facility.

Most of residents who are infected are asymptomatic or are only experiencing minor symptoms, the commissioners said earlier this week.

Members of the staff who test positive for covid-19 are required to quarantine at home, officials said.