Three more residents of Riverbend nursing facility die of COVID-19, cases jump to 116
Three more residents of a Kansas City, Kansas, rehabilitation and nursing facility have died of COVID-19, bringing the total to 15 at the location of the state’s largest outbreak.
The Unified Government’s public health department also announced Wednesday afternoon that six more people have tested positive for the coronavirus at the facility, Riverbend Post Acute Rehabilitation. A total of 116 cases — 92 residents and 24 employees — are now linked to Riverbend. Nine people are still hospitalized.
“We are very sad to have lost more people to this cluster of COVID-19 cases,” the health department wrote on its Facebook page. “We will continue to work closely with Riverbend on investigating and addressing the situation.”
The first death from the facility occurred April 5, health officials have said. The Unified Government was notified of the outbreak on April 3, after several residents tested positive.
Wyandotte County health officials have said the majority of the residents at Riverbend have now tested positive for the coronavirus. Riverbend had roughly 130 residents and nearly 100 employees.
Since at least Friday, staff have considered the facility as “fully COVID-19 positive.” Because of that distinction, the executive director and head of nursing said staff were able to focus their attention on clinical interventions rather than testing and moving residents in the building.
In a daily update Wednesday afternoon, officials at Riverbend said housekeeping staff have been working long hours to clean and sanitize the facility. They also said that a fourth resident has returned from the hospital and will recover at the center.
“We are grateful to have our resident back home, and look forward to facilitating their continued recovery in house and under the watchful eye of our clinical staff,” the statement read.
Along with the positive change, the facility continues to see loss, said Administrator Cory Schulte and Director of Nursing Maureen Purvis. They did not mention in the update that three more residents had died.
Patients with “complicated and long-standing medical histories” sometimes aren’t able to survive the virus, they said.
“Our hearts, thoughts and prayers remain with the families of those who have gone with grace as a result of the pandemic,” the statement said. “You will not be forgotten by those of us who had the privilege of knowing and serving you.”
