Coronavirus confirmed at Merced County nursing facility, Foster Farms ranch, officials say
The Merced County Department of Public Health on Saturday confirmed workplace outbreaks of coronavirus at three locations.
According to a county news release, the outbreaks include:
1. A resident who tested positive at the Anberry Transitional Care skilled nursing facility in the city of Merced. The resident has mild to no symptoms.
2. Three workers who tested positive at a turkey ranch operated by Foster Farms. The three employees are the only regular workers at the site. All others who may have visited the site are being informed so they can be tested.
3. Three employees who tested positive at S & A Manufacturing and Welding. The facility has around 25 staff members. All of the company’s employees will be tested. Both facilities operated by the company are currently closed to allow for proper disinfection and notification procedures, the county said.
High risk population at skilled nursing facility
The Department of Public Health said they sent a mobile strike force testing team to Anberry on Saturday, due the the number of high risk patients who reside there.
All staff and residents were tested — 148 total, the release said.
The results are pending, and the facility is isolating any possibly exposed residents and closely monitoring all residents. Staff members are using personal protective equipment and those who test positive will be quarantined.
“All of our Skilled Nursing Facilities have worked very hard to prevent COVID-19 in their facilities,” said Dr. Salvador Sandoval, Merced County health officer, in the release. “However, it was inevitable that a case would appear within one of these facilities. Anberry Transitional Care’s planning and rapid response will help reduce the risk to all of its staff and residents.”
The California Department of Public Health defines a workplace outbreak as three or more laboratory confirmed cases. Due to the high risk setting of a skilled nursing facility, the state considers one positive case an outbreak.
As of Friday, Merced County had a total of 283 cases of coronavirus reported since the beginning of the pandemic, 190 recoveries and seven fatalities.