COLVILLE, Wash. — A COVID-19 outbreak at a nursing home in Colville has left five people dead and 74 people infected.
The outbreak has impacted residents and staff, according to Northeast Tri County Health District (NETCHD).
The first case was reported on Aug. 25 and spread quickly and infected 22 staff and 52 residents at Pinewood Terrace Nursing Center. Of the 74 total cases related to this outbreak, 33 of the individuals were fully vaccinated. Of the five individuals who passed away, one individual was fully vaccinated, according to the health district.
NETCHD said this incident speaks to the dangers of the delta variant of the coronavirus and the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine. It also shows the ability of the vaccine to protect against severe illness in those who have been vaccinated.
According to a press release from NETCHD, they said the delta variant is ruthless.
"After experiencing 35 deaths within our three counties since Sept. 1, we are seeing firsthand that your age, gender, health status and demographics do not shield you from the severity of this virus," the health district wrote.
Prestige Care released a statement about the outbreak on Friday.
"First, we are deeply saddened to have lost patients to COVID-19 and our hearts go out to all those who are grieving the loss of a loved one to this virus. We share your grief and our thoughts are with their families and so many others who are hurting during this very difficult time.
Across our industry we see that when the infection rate increases in the broader community, infection rates are likely to increase in care centers, as well. While it’s impossible to pinpoint the origin of a COVID-19 outbreak due to the virus’ high transmission rate, we’ve continuously upheld our rigorous infection prevention protocols to limit spread as much as possible.
Since the onset of the pandemic, we’ve continued to follow strict sanitization procedures to do all we can to prevent further spread of the virus, including following CDC guidelines for the use of PPE throughout our center; encouraging physical distancing among staff and patients; implementing regular testing and screening procedures; and restricting visitation as directed by the health department.
We’ve also kept in close contact with our local and state health departments to make sure we are following the latest health and safety guidelines.
We strongly believe that vaccination is the most effective tool for preventing the spread of the virus, within our Prestige centers and communities and beyond.
Along with our strict infection-control practices, vaccination is our best defense against transmission of the virus and will help improve health and safety for everyone, especially more vulnerable people in our care.
We are so grateful for the dedication of our incredible staff who continue to care for our patients under these challenging circumstances, and we deeply appreciate the resilience and understanding of our patient families as we navigate these challenging times together."