WILTON MANORS, Fla. – Transferring assisted living facility residents with coronavirus to a hospital is the latest effort the state is undertaking as a way to slow down the spread.
Local 10 News has learned that all 48 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 at the Manor Pines Convalescent Center in Wilton Manors are at a hospital.
Mike Rabold, COO of the company that oversees the facility, says that even includes seven residents who are recovering from the virus and have since tested negative.
“While we understand this is being done in an abundance of caution, we want our community to understand how vigilant our team has been in properly caring for every single resident while maintaining stringent infection control protocols,” Rabold said.
Similarly, a Miami Springs assisted living facility was seen taking dozens of residents to a hospital on Sunday.
On the same day, the secretary of Florida’s Health Care Administration Agency addressed the issue on Local 10′s “This week in South Florida.”
“We are continuing to look at alternative sites, skilled nursing facilities that can be dedicated COVID-19 facilities,” Mary Mayhew said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis also addressed the issue at a news conference Monday.
“Even if you’re talking about a handful of people, if any of those folks get reintroduced back into the facility that can end up infecting many more people,” DeSantis said.
At the Manor Pines Convalescent Center, 16 patients have died as a result of the virus.
Thirteen of them died at hospitals, and officials say two of the three who died in the facility had previously been at hospitals but were sent back to Manor Pines.
Twenty-nine staff members tested positive, with seven of them having since re-tested negative.