COVID-19 outbreak at Oakview Medical Care Facility.

October 29, 2020

COVID-19 outbreak at Oakview Medical Care Facility.

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

UPDATE: This article was updated Friday, Oct. 30, after receiving additional details from Oakview Administrator Jannice Lamm. A call to the medical care facility Wednesday, Oct. 28, requesting more details about the outbreak was not immediately returned.

LUDINGTON — Oakview Medical Care Facility is currently in “breakout status” with 12 residents and three staff members testing  positive for COVID-19 since Friday Oct. 23.

Seven staff members had tested positive since the beginning of the pandemic back in March, according to Oakview’s website, www.oakviewmcf.org. The numbers on the website represent cases since the beginning of the pandemic, said Administrator Jannice Lamm. “Since our outbreak on Friday (Oct. 23), we have had three staff” test positive.

A post on the medical care facility’s website Thursday, Oct. 29, indicated that two more residents tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total to 12.

As of Friday, Oct. 30, Oakview had 70 pending tests among residents and 115 pending among staff.

The website states that three residents and one staff member were exhibiting respiratory symptoms within the last 72 hours.

“Oakview is still currently in outbreak status, and we have one more positive resident today,” states an update on the medical care facility’s website posted Tuesday, Oct. 27. “This resident has been placed in our COVID isolation unit and is being cared for by our dedicated Oakview staff. Thank you for your continued support as we navigate through this difficult time.”

A Monday, Oct. 26, post on the website states: “Oakview is currently in outbreak status. There has been one positive staff member and one positive resident identified today. We are continuing to isolate, clean, take care of the residents. We have created a COVID unit and will be ready to take our residents back from Spectrum before the end of the day. Thank you for all the well wishes and positive thoughts. Staff is working hard, and the residents are doing well.”

The medical care facility’s post Saturday, Oct. 24, states: “We have some difficult news. Oakview has had eight COVID-19 positive residents and two more positive staff. We are working collaboratively with Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital to provide care for the eight Oakview residents. The residents are not ill enough to meet criteria to be hospitalized but are being admitted to Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital as observation patients for up to 48 hours to allow Oakview time to deep clean, sanitize and develop revised room arrangements for these residents, per established protocols. The Oakview residents will receive care within the hospital in an inpatient unit away from other patients. Oakview Medical Care Facility and Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital have a long history of working together in collaboration for the care of the community, and as always, all safety protocols and best practices are in place at both organizations.”

The news of the COVID-19 outbreak came just one day after the Friday, Oct. 23 announcement that indoor visitations would be allowed with restrictions beginning Monday, Nov. 2.

“Good News! Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHSS) put out an order to give guidance for nursing homes to allow indoor visitation with restrictions. According to the Michigan Safe Start Map, Mason County is at a D risk level. This risk level will change according to what is going on in Mason County.

“This will allow Oakview to have indoor visitation with visitor testing and IF we have not had a positive COVID identified in the last 14 days. Currently, Oakview had a positive employee identified on Oct. 19. This will postpone indoor visiting until Nov. 2.  The visits will continue to be scheduled, limited to two visitors per visit, and time for visits will be limited.

“Visitors will have to be screened at the front door and either show proof of a negative COVID test within the last 72 hours or submit to a rapid COVID test that will be administered by an Oakview employee. Please be patient with us as we work out these plans. We will post visiting hours in the near future and stay connected with families through Facebook, the Oakview website, auto calls, and direct calls as needed.”

According to the website, there have been 962 total tests performed on residents and 3,052 performed on staff.

“The website is a dashboard and counts from the beginning of this pandemic,” said Lamm.

District Health Department #10 announced Thursday, Oct. 29, that a second COVID-19 death occurred in Mason County. The DHD #10’s press release stated that a Mason County man in his 70s who tested positive for COVID-19 died Tuesday, Oct. 27.

Lamm confirmed that the deceased person was not a resident at Oakview.

Please consider helping to fund local news. Mason County Press and Oceana County Press are available for free thanks to the generous support of our advertisers and individuals who support our service. Click on the PayPal donation button located on the top right of our website.

This story is copyrighted © 2020, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.