SPOKANE, Wash. — A sixth resident of the Spokane Veterans Home recovered from the coronavirus and returned to the facility on Tuesday.
The veteran was given a warm welcome by staff during their return from the Mann-Grandstaff Veterans Memorial Hospital.
A different resident of Spokane Veterans Home passed away after returning from the hospital last week following a coronavirus diagnosis.
The veteran was hospitalized for some time and had tested negative while in the hospital before returning to the Spokane Veterans Home, according to the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WSDVA).
“While our Veteran was able to recover from the active virus, unfortunately, the toll it took on their overall health was simply too great,” said Patrick McNabb, administrator of the Spokane Veterans Home. “We offer our condolences to their family and friends as they go through this very difficult time.”
A total of 10 Spokane Veterans Home residents have passed away after testing positive for coronavirus, either from the effects of COVID-19 or due to other medical conditions that were present prior to the diagnosis.
Forty-six residents of the Spokane Veterans Home have tested positive for COVID-19, along with 23 staff members. All of the residents diagnosed with COVID-19 are being cared for either at the VA Medical Center or at local hospitals.
Spokane Veterans Home residents return from the VA Medical Center after they have tested negative for COVID-19 twice within 24 hours. A special COVID-19 recovery wing has been established at the Spokane Veterans Home and residents will remain in this quarantine area for 14 days as a precaution prior to moving back to their own room.
Health officials said 12 registered nurses are staffing the COVID-19 unit during a day shift, with eight to 10 nursing assistants present. The VA Medical Center also has a room staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help staff take their personal protective equipment on and off.
All residents and staff at the veterans home have been tested for coronavirus. Many of the tests run at the home have shown that residents and staff are carrying the virus with no or mild symptoms, officials said.
The first case connected to the Veterans Home, an employee who returned to work before receiving a positive coronavirus test result, was reported on March 31.
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