More than 30 coronavirus cases tied to Templeton nursing home amid 5 deaths
A coronavirus outbreak at a skilled nursing facility in Templeton had resulted in the death of four residents and one former resident as of Wednesday, according to the San Luis Obispo County Health Department.
The county and Compass Health, the healthcare provider that owns the facility, partnered to test all residents and staff at Vineyard Hills Health Center after a previously hospitalized resident tested positive for coronavirus the week of July 13.
Since then, 17 additional residents and 15 employees at the Templeton nursing home tested positive for COVID-19, according to a Compass Health news release.
The first Vineyard Hills resident who tested positive died July 17, while a former resident who was hospitalized after being released from the facility died July 23.
Two more Vineyard Hills residents died Tuesday, and and a fourth resident death was announced Wednesday afternoon.
“Our hearts break with families as their loved ones pass away, regardless of what complex health conditions they faced prior to COVID-19,” Sue Barse, Compass Health’s corporate director of nursing, said in the release. “As we sit and hold hands and connect phone calls to loved ones in their final moments of life, our resolve as nurses and as residents of our county is strengthened to do whatever we can and to fight back against this virus.”
According to Compass Health, two Vineyard Hills residents with declining respiratory status were on hospice care as of Wednesday — one at the facility and another at a local hospital.
The additional 11 positive COVID-19 residents are symptomatic with wet coughs and fevers, but in stable condition. They were being cared for at the Vineyard Health in an area isolated from other residents, according to the release.
The county has tested all residents and staff weekly, with another round of testing currently underway.
Vineyard Hills Health Center has taken many measures to mitigate the spread of coronavirus within the skilled nursing facility, Compass Health said.
The entire facility is operating under the California Department of Public Health’s personal protective equipment protocols, according to the release.
All employees who work in the isolation unit use a separate entrance so as to not come into contact with other areas of the building, according to the release. Compass Health also said isolation unit workers are also receiving additional compensation.
Compass Health officials said, despite their efforts, the increased COVID-19 spread in San Luis Obispo County has affected congregate living facilities.
“With the exponential spread of the virus in our county in recent weeks, the likelihood of the virus entering one of our facilities has increased accordingly,” Barse said in the release.
“We plead with members of our community to take great caution in their everyday lives to do their part by limiting social activities, wearing face coverings and practicing strict hand washing and sanitation,” she added in the release.
The facility has been in contact with all families of residents and are providing daily updates.
