Even one new coronavirus (COVID-19) case is one too many, but with local health officials anticipating a high number of new positive cases on Saturday, the announcement that five COVID-19 cases have been confirmed over the last 24 hours came as somewhat of a surprise.
Judge-Executive Kevin Henderson made the announcement at his daily briefing from the Grayson County Government Building Annex.
The five new cases include three Grayson Nursing & Rehabilitation residents and one Grayson Nursing & Rehabilitation staff member. For the first time, a resident of Spring View Nursing & Rehabilitation has tested positive for the virus
The new cases are an 86-year-old woman, 19-year-old man, 88-year-old man, 78-year-old woman, and 89-year-old woman.
The three new Grayson Nursing & Rehabilitation residents diagnosed over the previous 24 hours are in stable condition and isolated at the facility, while the nursing home employee is also stable and quarantined at his residence. The Spring View Nursing & Rehabilitation resident is quarantined at the facility and is in stable condition, as well.
In total, 48 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Grayson County with 36 cases connected to Grayson Nursing & Rehabilitation: 23 residents and 13 staff members.
There are currently five Grayson County victims hospitalized: A 66-year-old man (critical condition), 87-year-old woman (stable, Grayson Nursing & Rehabilitation resident), 96-year-old man (stable, Grayson Nursing & Rehabilitation resident), and 56-year-old woman (critical).
As of Saturday afternoon, 374 people have been tested for the virus in Grayson County, officials said, with 268 tests negative and 58 tests pending. Five victims have recovered, and the county has one COVID-19-related death, William Dean Smith, 96.
Grayson County Health Department Director Josh Embry noted that officials are awaiting the results of “mass testing” of residents and staff of Grayson Nursing & Rehabilitation, a 72-bed facility.
Embry also said the leadership at Spring View Nursing & Rehabilitation have been “very proactive” in their approach to limiting the spread of the virus inside the facility. But it was “their fear that this would happen because it’s (spread of COVID-19 through nursing homes) happening all over the state.”
As of Saturday afternoon, 61 long-term care facilities reported 602 residents and 273 staff members have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Ninety-four deaths in the state are also connected to nursing homes (93 residents, one employee).
At Sunday’s briefing, Henderson said Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center CEO Wayne Meriwether will offer details about the facility partially reopening after having services severely limited for the last few weeks.
As always, the 3:30 p.m. briefing can be seen on K105’s Facebook and YouTube pages and heard on K105.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
