CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State Department of Health and Human Resources Secretary Bill Crouch said Tuesday he’s confident the owners of a Wayne County nursing home are doing what’s necessary to keep patients and workers safe after receiving back dozens of positive tests for coronavirus.
Crouch said during an appearance on MetroNews “Talkline” he had been on the phone earlier Tuesday with the CEO of AM-FM West Virginia which owns Wayne Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.
“This is an AM-FM facility and they’ve been in business for a long time and they provide quality services to the elderly population of the state in a variety of areas. I’ve got a lot of confidence in the owner and CEO of that company,” Crouch said.
Fifty-eight patients and 70 workers were tested last Thursday and all but a handful of the tests came back Monday evening. They showed 36 patients with positive test results and 30 workers. Crouch said unfortunately it took several days to receive the test results.
“Testing is getting better but we still have companies out there where test results take days and that’s what happened here,” Crouch said.
.@WV_DHHR Secretary Bill Crouch speaks with @HoppyKercheval about COVID-19 numbers and updates. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIRZCB pic.twitter.com/UQsYY5LFXW
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) April 14, 2020
The increase in cases was not reflected in new coronavirus numbers reported by the state DHHR Tuesday morning. The agency still had Wayne County at 19 positive cases. One coronavirus death has been reported in Wayne County.
Some workers awaiting test results have continued to work, Wayne County Health Department Health Officer Dr. Kevin McCann said.
“The employees who were tested and asymptomatic (having no symptoms of COVID-19) may continue to work while waiting on the test results,” McCann said in a news release.
Wayne Nursing & Rehabilitation Center Executive Director Cindy Cooper said they’ve been in constant contact with the Wayne County Health Department
“We have received so many thoughts, prayers and well-wishes from our families and our Wayne community. A church prayed in our parking lot on Easter Sunday, meals have been delivered and signs thanking employees for their dedication have been posted in the yard,” Cooper said. “Thank you to everyone for thinking of us. It means a lot to our patients, our families and our employees.”
Crouch said his agency, including state Health Officer Dr. Cathy Slemp, is keeping a close eye on the situation.
“We’re trying to make sure that everybody is as safe as they can be and that includes residents and staff,” Crouch said.