Clusters of coronavirus reported at Dallas assisted-living centers, official says

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins says people should consider taking their loved ones out of nursing homes after several cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Dallas assisted-living facilities.

The suggestion came after the county announced its 10th death from the virus Sunday. The latest victim was a woman in her 80s who was a resident at Edgemere, a senior-living facility in North Dallas.

The woman was one of four positive cases at Edgemere, Jenkins said. Two other residents and a member of the staff also tested positive for the illness.

In addition to the cases at Edgemere, four have been confirmed at Skyline Nursing Home in west Oak Cliff, Jenkins said. Two more results are pending at that facility.

Another patient from Monticello West, an assisted-living facility in Oak Lawn, has been hospitalized for several days with the illness, Jenkins said. He mentioned another case at a different facility but did not provide its name.

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He urged family members to take their relatives out of nursing homes if they can, citing how quickly the virus can spread.

“I want every family to really question: Could they take care of a person and maybe try to get them home?” Jenkins said, adding that he took his mother home from her independent-living facility about three weeks ago. “What I am saying is if you bring your loved one home, it’s safer than leaving them in the nursing home, if you can.”

The county judge also announced new restrictions on nursing homes, effective immediately. All staff members must be notified immediately of a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. The same goes for all residents who are mentally competent, as well as their family members or any person who is responsible for them. They need to be notified as soon as possible, within six waking hours, Jenkins said. The notifications must be reported to Dallas County Health and Human Services.

Any facility with a COVID-19 case must stop new admissions, and residents cannot transfer from a nursing home with a positive case to another nursing home.

“When these things get into the nursing homes, they spread and they spread rapidly,” Jenkins said. “You’ll get into a situation where virtually everyone there has a very high chance of getting it.”

People who decide to remove relatives from nursing homes will be quarantined after doing so, Jenkins said.

Edgemere confirmed its cases to residents in a letter Saturday. All three residents were hospitalized, and the staff member was in isolation at home, the letter said. Anyone who had been in contact with the individuals would be instructed to quarantine themselves.

Lifespace Communities, the owner of Edgemere, said the facility has activated an emergency response team. The facility is working with Dallas County Health and Human Services, Texas Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to control the spread of coronavirus, the organization said in a statement.

Edgemere had previously limited visitor access and suspended community gatherings, as well as communal meals.

“All of our residents continue to shelter in place, and all essential visitors and team members have continued to receive daily screenings and temperature checks,” the statement said.