LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Public Health said Friday that a COVID-19 outbreak in a Lakeport skilled nursing facility has led to a fourth death in less than two weeks and the county’s seventh death overall related to the virus.
Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace said the individual who died was over the age of 65 and had underlying chronic medical issues, as was the case with three previous residents who died from COVID-19-related illnesses.
The previous deaths at the facility were reported on Aug. 29, Sept. 1 and Sept. 8.
Pace has declined to identify the location where the outbreak has occurred, but the California Department of Public Health’s online dashboard of skilled nursing facilities with COVID-19 cases confirmed that Lakeport Post Acute on Craig Avenue is the only such facility in Lake County with COVID-19 cases and deaths in residents.
That dashboard also reported that Meadowood Nursing Center has health care workers who have tested positive, but it did not give a specific number, saying only it was less than 11.
When contacted by Lake County News, the Lakeport Post Acute facility administrator declined to comment and referred this reporter to another individual who as of early Friday evening had not responded to inquiries about the outbreak.
Referring to Lakeport Post Acute but not by name, Pace said the facility took immediate steps to stop the spread by setting up a special “COVID wing” for the positive residents and dedicating specific staff for the COVID hallway.
He said Public Health staff and state infectious disease experts have been working closely with the facility in an attempt to contain the infection.
Pace told Lake County News earlier this week that the facility notified all residents and their families of the outbreak.
“At this point, the efforts are to contain the initial wave of infection which appears to have originated from a staff member getting exposed outside of work and bringing it into the facility. Further testing will determine if the spread has been stopped,” Pace said.
Pace said nine staffers and 22 residents – including the four who died – have tested positive for COVID-19. Those are numbers slightly higher than available from the state on Friday.
Of the 1,223 skilled nursing facilities across California, as of Friday afternoon, the California Department of Public Health said 24,867 residents had tested positive and 4,271 have died.
Local health departments have reported 34,834 confirmed positive cases in health care workers and 167 deaths statewide, the state reported.
“The importance of mask-wearing and preventative measures cannot be over-emphasized. This outbreak is a heartbreaking example of how devastating COVID can be, especially in our most vulnerable community members. We encourage everyone to continue taking proper precautions in order to slow the spread,” said Pace.
As of Friday, Lake County’s overall COVID-19 caseload totaled 390, up 12 from Thursday. Of those, 30 are active and continuing to be monitored by health officials, two are hospitalized, 353 have so far recovered and 10,510 tests have been conducted, Lake County Public Health reported.
Public Health reported Lake County’s first COVID-19 case on April 5 and its first COVID-19-related on July 3.
Statewide, more than 752,000 cases and 14,000 deaths have been reported by county Public Health departs to date.
Lake County residents seeking public health information on how to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus can access Lake County’s Public Health Division webpage or call the COVID-19 hotline at 707-263-8174 to speak to a Public Health adviser.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Fourth death from COVID-19-related illness reported at Lakeport skilled nursing facility; seventh local death overall
- Elizabeth Larson
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