Coronavirus: With 5 deaths and many infected, Seattle Life Care Center exposes vulnerability of nursing homes
Life Care Center, which advertises a “homelike and welcoming atmosphere” in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland, is now ground zero in Washington’s fight against the coronavirus after five deaths were linked to the facility.
At a time when countries are trying to tackle community spread, the center exposes the vulnerability of such nursing homes, where the disease could be spreading among an already fragile population.
According to experts, older people with underlying health conditions are particularly vulnerable to the new coronavirus.
“What we have seen with the level of community spread has raised the level of concern about the immediate threat of COVID-19, particularly for vulnerable populations such as people over 60, those with underlying health conditions or who are immune compromised,” says the Public Health – Seattle & King County in a statement.
“An outbreak of coronavirus disease in a nursing home near Seattle is prompting urgent calls for precautionary tactics at America’s elder care facilities, where residents are at heightened risk of serious complications from the illness because of the dual-threat of age and close living conditions,” reports Kaiser Health News.
The coronavirus death toll in Washington state now stands at nine, with a total of 27 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Of these nine deaths, five were among residents of the facility. These include three people in their 70s, a man and two women, who were hospitalized at EvergreenHealth in Kirkland with underlying health conditions. The first two died on March 1 while the third died on March 2.
The fourth death, which was confirmed by the Public Health – Seattle & King County in its March 3 update, is a woman in her 80s. A resident of Life Care, she was never hospitalized and died at her family home on February 26.
A fifth case is a 54-year-old man who was admitted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and died on February 26. This patient had been transferred to Harborview from Life Care Center.
“We have received notice from Public Health – Seattle & King County that a presumptive positive coronavirus case has been detected in a 54-year-old man who was admitted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on February 24 and died on February 26. This patient, with underlying medical conditions, had been transferred to Harborview from Life Care Center of Kirkland, Washington,” says a statement released by the Harborview Medical Center.
It says, “In coordination with Public Health – Seattle & King County, we have determined that some staff may have been exposed while working in an intensive care unit where the patient had been treated. We don’t believe that other patients were potentially exposed. Potentially exposed staff have been contacted by our Employee Health team and are being monitored and screened daily.”
More cases associated with Life Care
The long-term care facility at Kirkland with 180 staff and 108 residents is now being closely monitored. Health officials had earlier said at least 50 people in the facility are sick and are being tested for the virus.
According to the latest confirmed cases, many others from the Life Care Center are currently sick and hospitalized. According to the Public Health – Seattle & King County, a female in her 80s, who is a resident of Life Care and was hospitalized at EvergreenHealth, is currently in a critical condition. A woman in her 40s, employed by LifeCare, is also hospitalized at Overlake Medical Center.
Of the new cases reported by King County on March 3, two are residents of the facility. This includes a woman in her 40s, who worked at Life Care, never hospitalized and is recovering at home. A man in his 70s, who is said to be a frequent visitor of Life Care, has also been infected, but his hospitalization status is currently not known, said King County.
Current residents and associates continue to be monitored closely, specifically for an elevated temperature, cough and/or shortness of breath, says a statement from the Kirkland Center.
In addition to infection control strategies, all visits to the facility from families, volunteers or vendors are not allowed. “The facility has also placed a hold on admissions, to fully focus on our current residents and associates. We encourage family members to call the facility if they have specific questions regarding their loved ones,” says a statement from Life Care Center.
The cluster of illness is the first of its type in the US, “where 2.2 million people live in long-term care settings and may be at heightened risk because of age and underlying health conditions,” reports Kaiser Health News.
Dr Jeff Duchin, health officer for the Seattle and King County public health agency, told Kaiser Health News, “We are very concerned about an outbreak in a setting where there are many older people.”
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
The situation at the center could be similar to the spread of coronavirus on cruise ships, such as the Diamond Princess that was quarantined for 14 days off the coast of Japan, with one exception.
“People on cruise ships can be confined to their rooms with minimal interaction with staff and fellow residents. People in nursing centers are there because they need help with activities of daily living,” Dr Karl Steinberg, a geriatrician who serves as medical director for two nursing homes and as chief medical officer for a chain of 20 others in Southern California, told Kaiser Health News.
Meanwhile, North Carolina's first COVID-19 case — a patient from Wake County — had also visited the Life Care Center.
“The North Carolina person from Wake County traveled to the State of Washington and was exposed at a long-term care facility where there is currently a COVID-19 outbreak. Local health department officials are identifying close contacts to monitor symptoms and contain spread. To protect individual privacy, no further information will be released,” reads a statement issued by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.
“I know that people are worried about this virus, and I want to assure North Carolinians our state is prepared. Our task force and state agencies are working closely with local health departments, health care providers and others to quickly identify and respond to cases that might occur,” the statement quotes Governor Roy Cooper as saying.