Coronavirus outbreak reported at Merced care home. Public Health reports 75 new cases countywide
For the first time since Aug. 21, the Merced County Department of Public Health on Friday confirmed no new resident deaths due to the novel coronavirus.
The total number of resident fatalities since the pandemic began taking lives in Merced County is 120.
Also on Friday, the 75 new COVID-19 cases were tallied to the county’s running total. Friday’s additional infections brought the caseload to 8,277.
Country reports outbreak at assisted living facility
Active COVID-19 outbreaks increased as well on Friday. Park Merced, a retirement community on M Street near West Olive Avenue, was added as number 20 to the county’s list of active outbreaks, according to Public Health’s website.
An email sent from the assisted living facility to families said a resident tested positive for the virus.
“We understand the severity of the situation and the fears of all who are involved,” the news release said. “Currently, no residents or team members are experiencing symptoms.”
Of 49 residents tested for COVID-19, 46 have returned negative and two are still pending, a Park Merced news release said on Saturday.
Additional precautions are in place at Park Merced. Other residents who were in close contact with the COVID-19-positive individual are isolated and their families have been notified. The facility is working with County Public Health and the California Department of Social Services daily, and following their guidance.
The resident who tested positive is asymptomatic, according to the release. While the exposure source is unclear, the individual experienced risk to exposure via multiple essential medical appointments.
“We have been preparing for this eventuality and our team is well-trained on infection control procedures to aid in minimizing spread of the virus,” the release said. “We are taking every possible precaution to ensure all residents and employees remain healthy.”
A facility is considered to have a COVID-19 outbreak when three or more laboratory confirmed cases are traced to a workplace within 14 days. However, just one positive case constitutes an outbreak at a skilled nursing facility.
Other active outbreaks at high-risk facilities in Merced County include Hampshire Retirement Community, Merced Nursing and Rehab, Hy-Lond Health Care Merced and Franciscan.
Outbreaks are closed after there are no new known cases at the facility for two weeks.
More on the data
Coronavirus cases presumed active, meaning they were laboratory confirmed within the last two weeks, again fell to 849. One week ago, active cases numbered 1,113.
As the number of new infections has consistently fallen to below 100 each day for more than a week, Merced County Public Health officials are asking the public do help keep cases down over Labor Day weekend.
Residents are advised to avoid mass gatherings, wear masks and exercise good hand hygiene in order to avoid a case surge similar to those following past holiday weekends.
Active hospitalizations on account of severe COVID-19 cases also saw a decline to 84 on Friday from 93 the prior day.
Of the current hospitalizations, 24 individuals are at facilities within the county. The others are being looked after at outside hospitals.
The number of residents ever hospitalized due to coronavirus, however, rose by two patients to 604.
Another increasing data point on Friday was the county’s positivity rate — a crucial metric for progressing through the state’s plan for reopening local economies. Case positivity shows the quantity of COVID-19 tests during the last week that return positive.
Among other criteria, counties must consistently fall below a 8% positivity rate in order to reopen more businesses deemed nonessential.
Merced County’s positivity percentage on Friday rose to 8.9%. Because of state-defined data metrics pointing to “widespread” transmission, the county is currently grouped into the reopening category subject to the most stringent of economic limitations.
This story was originally published September 4, 2020 at 5:39 PM.
