(LITITZ, Pa-LititzDailyNews.com) – A staff member at Luther Acres Healthcare Center tested positive for COVID-19, according to a notice published tonight on the Luthercare website. The employee, who works in the secured memory care unit, was reportedly screened before and at the end of shift on April 7th, and was reportedly asymptomatic.

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The statement says that “The employee stated that symptoms began upon returning home. The team member contacted a physician and was directed to go to a COVID-19 testing center on Wednesday, April 8th. The employee received a positive test result today [April 10] and notified Luther Acres.”

A sign at the entry to Luther Acres in Lititz, PA. Photo by Lynn Rebuck/LititzDailyNews.com

The organization’s Infection Control Team is reportedly performing contact tracing to identify residents and staff who may be directly impacted.

“We are adhering to the CDC’s Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Healthcare Settings,” according to the statement, which also says that Luthercare had been taking aggressive measures to protect residents and team members from exposure, and that it continues to do so.

BRETHREN VILLAGE

BRETHREN VILLAGE: MORE CNAS COVID-19+, TWO MORE PATIENTS DIE

The skilled nursing memory support facility at Brethren Village has also been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. So far three residents have died, five residents are currently positive for the disease, and six employees, four of whom work in that unit, have also tested positive.

BRETHREN VILLAGE REPORTS DEATH OF COVID-19+ RESIDENT, MORE INFECTED

Today BV announced two new positive test results: one belonging to a staff member, and one resident, both in skilled nursing support. Tests of two residents who passed away on Wednesday also came back positive for COVID-19, according to a BV representative.

Photo by Lynn Rebuck/LititzDailyNews.com

As of yesterday, Brethren Village had a 43% mortality rate among residents in the skilled nursing memory care unit who had tested positive for COVID-19. With the added positive result reported in another resident there today, that mortality rate drops slightly. It is still a sobering sign of the spread of the disease in the long-term care facility located in Manheim Township, where deaths from COVID-19 are elevated in comparison to nearby rural counties.

LANDIS HOMES RESIDENT WHO CONTRACTED COVID-19 DIES

In only 24 hours, the statewide rate of infection in long-term and assisted living facilities rose 25% from Wednesday to Thursday, according to data provided by the state.

Health Sec. Dr. Rachel Levine has repeatedly cautioned that residents in this facilities, and senior citizens with underlying health conditions over age 65, are at highest risk and most vulnerable to COVID-19.

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Lynn Rebuck is the editor and publisher of award-winning LititzDailyNews.com, the only independent digital news source in Lititz. Lynn is an award-winning photojournalist who was invited to the White House and has received top recognition from the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, Pennsylvania Women’s Press Association, National Society of Newspaper Columnists, and has been profiled in Editor & Publisher magazine for her unparalleled dedication to publishing LititzDailyNews.com to benefit the community.