LIBERTY — An Amite County resident in a Liberty assisted living and rehabilitation tested positive for coronavirus and has been under quarantine for almost two weeks.
Nurses from the clinic called Friday morning to notify the family of the former mechanic in his 80s that he tested positive for the viral infection sweeping around the world.
Now his family is under quarantine in their home, where they’ve been for the past 11 days.
A relative, who asked not to be identified, said the man moved into the assisted living facility to receive better treatment for chronic illness.
“He has prostate cancer that has spread to his bones,” they said. “So we had to put him in the nursing home to get the care that he needed.”
The family received a call from nurses at the facility about a week and a half ago and told them he’d developed a fever. He was tested for the flu but the results were negative, so nurses administered a test for COVID-19.
Three days later, results came back positive. An x-ray of his chest indicated he was battling pneumonia.
“We have called him every day to check on him,” a family member said. “He is a little short of breath, which is normal for him anyway.”
Nurses apparently moved him into an isolated room and locked the facility down from outside visitation, family members said.
A family member said facility administration told their family that workers are not being tested for coronavirus.
“It is very sad,” she said. “And nerve-wracking at the same time. We are in quarantine with two babies. Emotional roller coasters.”
The man appears to be making a recovery.
His family said he’s been sick with the virus, known to linger about two weeks, for over 10 days already but has not run a fever.
His family hasn’t had much contact with doctors, nurses or administrators at the facility. But the man has access to a personal cell phone, so they are able to contact him that way.
“The only calls I have gotten is to tell me he had a fever and the call that the test was positive,” one family member said. “The nurses told us they would call us if there was any changes.”
Administrators at the facility apparently told his family that there aren’t any other positive cases within the facility, but a manager, who would not identify herself, refused to confirm that Monday afternoon.
That manager directed questions to Rachel Ethridge, office manager of Community Eldercare Services in Tupelo, who confirmed one known coronavirus infection within the Liberty facility.
Community Eldercare Services operates the Liberty Community Living Center.
“Liberty Community Living Center’s goal is to try and keep the virus out and to minimize the spread to our patients and team members. We can confirm the first case of COVID-19 just as the hospitals in the area also have confirmed cases,” Ethridge said. “Liberty Community Living Center is following all CDC, local guidelines and procedures and the patient is isolated from the general population.”
Ethridge said the facility is not considering transfering residents out of the facility.
“The CDC does not recommend transferring residents either home ot to the hospital in order to prevent further risks,” she said. “Moving the elderly or fraid is uncertain and often can cause other complications that have long-lasting impacts.”
Staff at the facility are taking extra precautions.
“All team members are required to wear a mask, take temperature readings along with the sign and symptoms check each shift,” Ethridge said. “We have isolation areas for this patient along with any additional cases that may ensure.”
Ethridge said if someone wants to donate masks, gloves or write encouraging letters to their residents they are encouraged to leave items at the front door and call (601) 657-1000
One of the initial outbreaks of coronavirus within the United States happened back on Leap Day in February in Life Care Center, an assisted living facility near Seattle.
Dozens of residents of the facility reported coronavirus symptoms and the first recorded death in Washington State is believed to be linked to that outbreak.
Assisted living facilities are particularly vulnerable to viral outbreaks because some of the residents may have serious underlying medical conditions or compromised immune systems.
27 states reported coronavirus infections within nursing homes March 26, according to data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
In light of the circumstances, the man’s family is keeping a positive outlook and working to make it through a difficult time.
“He is a tough and stubborn old man,” a family member said. “He is a fighter.”
