COVID-19 (coronavirus) has taken a toll on one of Gilmer County’s long-term-care facilities which has been battling an outbreak.
Parkside Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Ellijay hit a peak of infection two weeks ago and is on the other side, according to Tammy Bowling, R.N., B.S.N., an infectious disease public health nurse at North Georgia Health District.
“We’ve seen the number of cases slow down,” she said. “They have worked very hard.”
Parkside Center had 85 residents who were positive for the coronavirus with 22 deaths at the facility, according to the Long-Term Care Facility COVID-19 Report on the Georgia Department of Community Health website as of Monday, Nov. 30.
Thirty-nine Parkside staff were listed as testing positive for coronavirus at some point in the report.
In October, Gilmer County Pubic Safety Director Keith Kucera put in a request with Georgia Emergency Management Agency which has a contract with a staffing agency to provide additional staffing for the facility.
Bowling said Zoom calls are being held with the state’s infection control team to offer support and suggestions in dealing with the virus. Aid can range from placement of hand sanitizer to the latest protocol for putting on protective equipment.
Parkside is still in phase one of an administrative order which means only staff and essential personnel and compassionate care visits are allowed.
Gilmer County’s other long-term care facility, Cameron Hall of Ellijay, has faired better according to the Georgia Department of Community Health report. Out of 44 residents tested, none have returned positive tests, although one resident is listed as recovered. A total of four employees are listed as having tested positive at some point.
Calls to Parkside Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Ellijay administration were not returned at press time.
In Gilmer County, as of Nov. 30, 1,219 people have tested positive for coronavirus since March according to the Georgia Department of Public Health website, with 29 deaths and four probable deaths and 107 hospitalizations.