Families concerned after Vallejo care center reports 103 COVID-19 infections, 3 deaths
KRON4 Bay Area News, by: Maureen Kell, May 8, 2020VALLEJO, Calif. (KRON) — There’s been a third coronavirus death and more positive cases among residents at the Windsor Vallejo Care Center.
That means there are now 103 confirmed infected cases at that nursing home.
KRON4’s Maureen Kelly talked to the family of a patient who’s now in ICU because of the virus.
“They thought he would not make it to the through the night,” the aunt of William Bennett III said.
She said the 31-year-old COVID positive patient is now out of Windsor Vallejo Care Center and in ICU at Sutter Solano.
“He coded twice and they put the incubator in and the feeding tube,” she said. “And today they thought he was gonna be brain dead or have some brain issue, but today he recognize a doctor he opened up his eyes.”
Bennett has been living at the nursing home for over a year after suffering a series of strokes and being diagnosed with a rare blood disorder.
He is one of 80 residents who have tested positive at the facility over the last two weeks — three have died. 23 staff members have have also been infected.
His aunt had him moved to a room near a window so she and other family members could check on him. She said she was worried about him and wanted him hospitalized because he seemed lethargic.
“We knew he needed to be out of there,” she said.
He was transported by ambulance a few hours after her concerns were aired on KRON4 News.
It’s a skilled nursing home that was already having problems.
A medicare inspection report from the Department of Health and Human Services from April 12 found 23 health citations. Including one which found that the facility failed to ensure that the infection control principals were being followed. It was given a rating of much below average.
“You need to be mindful of people who cannot do for themselves,” she said. “And if you don’t have the compassion for it then you’re in the wrong business.”
A Windsor Vallejo Care Center issued a statement this week that staff are constantly getting updated training on best practices in regard to infection control and that they adhering to all federal and state recommendations to minimize the spread of this virus.
Bennet’s aunt says the doctors hope to wean him from the ventilator over the next two days. She says when her nephew is out of hospital, he will not be going back to that nursing home.
See previous BenIndy reports on Windsor Vallejo Care Center… NOTE: Windsor Vallejo’s website does an excellent job of sharing extensive information about coronavirus, including an easy way for families to schedule Virtual Visits, but does not disclose numbers of positive or active cases.