COVID-19 cases climbing at Lodi nursing homes

Jul. 22--As cases of COVID-19 spike throughout the county, nursing and rehabilitation centers in Lodi and the surrounding area have seen outbreaks among their residents and staff.

The California Department of Public Health is tracking the outbreaks. According to their data, two Lodi nursing facilities are continuing to treat residents with COVID-19. Several other local centers have had past cases, but do not currently have patients with active cases.

Arbor Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, which has been keeping the community updated on COVID-19 numbers on its website at www.covenantcare.com, said cases have now reached 63 residents and 36 staff members since its outbreak began on June 26.

The center said 30 residents have recovered from the virus, as have 24 staff members. However, nine residents who tested positive have died, according to its Monday update.

"We understand the importance of knowing the status of our residents, employees and essential health care providers," the facility said. "In this new world of COVID-19, rest assured we are aggressively treating and responding to potential community exposures by conducting routine testing of all our residents and staff until such time as a vaccine becomes available or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention instructs otherwise."

Vienna Nursing and Rehabilitation Center has 23 residents who have active cases of COVID-19, according to CDPH. The care center has also reported at least one but fewer than 11 resident deaths, but CDPH does not provide a specific number.

Reporting 10 or fewer total cases were Fairmont Rehabilitation Hospital, Lodi Creek Post Acute Care and Lodi Nursing & Rehabilitation, according to the CDPH. Patients at all three of the facilities had recovered as of Tuesday. None of the three reported any deaths.

In Galt, Dycora Transitional Health reported 10 or fewer active cases, according to the CDPH website.

The outbreaks at care centers come as San Joaquin County Public Health Services reported 8,799 total COVID-19 cases and 95 deaths throughout the pandemic as of Tuesday. There have been 598 cases reported in Lodi's 95240 ZIP code, and 225 in the city's 95242 ZIP code.

Dr. Maggie Park, San Joaquin County Public Health Officer, said positive cases are coming from Father's Day gatherings, travel to other counties over the last few weeks and Fourth of July celebrations.

"We're still gathering information and we're still getting cases related to the Fourth coming in," she said. "I believe in mid-August we'll still have cases coming in from the Fourth, because the time people begin to show symptoms, get tested and receive results can take a bit of time right now since we are seeing an increase."

There were nearly 20 outbreaks over the weekend throughout the county, Park said, stemming from skilled nursing facilities, a distribution warehouse, a pet food manufacturing facility, a fertilizer company, four medical offices and an apartment complex.

On July 17, the county was reporting a total of 70 outbreaks since the pandemic began. As of Tuesday, there were 88.

Outbreaks at skilled nursing facilities -- which qualifies as at least one person testing positive -- account for just 20% of outbreaks, Park said. Just 23% of outbreaks have been from congregate exposure, when at least two people test positive in hospitals or prisons.

The rest of the positive cases -- 58% -- have been from community transmission at places like restaurants, bars, an individual's place of work, or gatherings at parties or funerals. Park said more than half of the community transmissions have not been traced to specific event.

The county has a 13% positive testing rate, which Park said is the sixth highest in the state and has drawn concern from Gov. Gavin Newsom.

County administrator Monica Nino said that the California Department of Public Health reached out Sunday morning to offer assistance and attain containment of the virus.

"Unfortunately, this is not solved yet," Nino said. "We're doing what we can, but the state could not have been more positive in its effort to reach out and offer help."

There were 236 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 on Tuesday, and Park said the state is anticipating 193 in hospitals by Aug. 20. Of the 236 hospitalized, 80 were being treated at intensive care units, and 51 were on ventilators, she said.

Dan Burch, San Joaquin Emergency Medical Services Agency administrator, said the seven hospitals in the county are operating at 130% capacity. At Adventist Health Lodi Memorial, 91 of its beds are in use, with all 12 of its ICU beds occupied by COVID-19 patients.

Park said the county is improving in its re-infection rate. As of Tuesday, that rate was at 1.12, which means for every resident in the county infected with COVID-19, they had the potential to infect 1.12 people. Two weeks ago, that rate was 1.32.

"I don't know if it's because we're starting to plateau," she said. "Clearly we're not out of the woods, but there is maybe a glimmer of hope. This ought to show that perhaps behaviors are changing. People are doing what they can to follow guidelines, and I encourage them to keep doing that."

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