(MSC News)-Two area nursing facilites are repoting an increase in confirmed cases of COVID-19. 

They include Mission Village Living Center in Horton and Eastridge Skilled Nursing Facility in Centralia.

Both released statements Tuesday. 

From the Mission Village Living Center in Horton:

We, regretfully, inform you that we have had our first positive cases of COVID in our facility. We are undergoing testing of all residents and staff to identify all COVID positive individuals. Until we have undergone outbreak testing with 14 consecutive days of no new cases we will not be allowing visitations and no outside medical or other appointments will be conducted. Furthermore, no non-essential personnel will be allowed to enter the facility. We will update with more information as it becomes available. Please know that we are doing everything we can to keep your loved ones safe.

From Community Healthcare system in Onaga

Seven residents at Eastridge Skilled Nursing Facility in Centralia have tested positive for COVID-19.

According to Todd Willert, CEO of Community  HealthCare System, or CHCS, residents, family members, and state authorities have been informed, per Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Nemaha County Community Health guidelines.

“CHCS has been working diligently to mitigate spread and protect our residents; however, uncontrolled community spread in our region has hampered our efforts and made it much more difficult to contain,” Willert said.  

Eight CHCS associates who work at Eastridge have tested positive since November 4, and a number of others are in quarantine because of exposure.

Lura Flentie, director of long-term care services at CHCS, said that because Nemaha County is rated as red in the most recent 14-day period according to KDHE nursing home metrics, all staff are tested twice each week. Residents will now be tested twice weekly, too, because of the positive cases.

“We are working with KDHE to continue to test residents and staff, and we appreciate everyone’s cooperation as we work to manage through difficult circumstances,” Flentie said.

Eastridge is closed to visitors and will need to remain closed as long as Nemaha County is rated as red, which means the positivity rate is more than 10%. The most recent positivity rate was 24.5%.

All residents are quarantined to their rooms, and those who have tested positive are isolated in one part of the building. Positive residents will have dedicated nursing staff.

“We appreciate the understanding of our residents and their family members, plus the dedication of our staff, even when we are short-handed or under stress because of COVID-19,” Flentie said.

CHCS has a universal mask policy and continues to screen all patients and visitors to all facilities. Associates are screened daily before reporting to work according to guidelines from KDHE. Those who do not pass the screening questions are asked not to report to work, and procedures are in place to monitor employees who become ill or who test positive for COVID-19.

Anyone with a fever, cough, shortness of breath, diarrhea, loss of sense of smell and taste, and/or headache, or who suspects exposure to COVID-19, should contact a medical provider or one of our clinics for the best way to proceed with care. All are urged to wear masks when out in public, comply with social distancing guidelines, and wash hands often.