GREELEY, Colo. — Fourteen residents who recently died at the Centennial Healthcare Center tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement released Thursday by the nursing home.
Fifteen surviving residents have also tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Centennial Healthcare Center said 14 of them are isolated at the facility, and one is in the hospital.
There have been a total of 19 recent deaths at Centennial Healthcare Center. The five residents who didn’t test positive for COVID-19 either were not tested postmortem or are awaiting results.
According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), there have been dozens of confirmed outbreaks of COVID-19 at residential and non-hospital care facilities across the state.
Weld County has nearly 600 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus as of this writing – more than the more populous El Paso County.
"We can’t see each other face to face. I have to depend on the nurse there to translate because he has to talk through a mask," said Tim Schuette, whose 87-year-old father is inside the facility. They now talk through a window into his room.
Schuette's father hasn’t been tested yet, but he said he thinks his dad is infected with COVID-19. He said he wouldn’t be surprised, knowing now that at least 29 others at the Centennial Healthcare Center have tested positive.
"Sometimes I feel like I’m never going to see him again and that’s hard to deal with," Schuette said.
Even though he’s separated from his family by a window, Tim Schuette is one of the lucky ones.
Karl Wagner’s brother Bill died last weekend. He tested positive for COVID-19, but died of a heart attack. We spoke to Karl over the phone outside the nursing home. He said it’s the same way he said goodbye to his brother just days before.
"Bill was 64. He would have been 65 in November," said Karl Wagner. "I finally got through to the nurse on Saturday, the day before he died, and he brought a cell phone into him but he wasn’t in a very talkative mood."
In a media statement, the Centennial Healthcare Center said it is “working closely with our local health department to prevent exposure and to protect all our residents and staff at the center.”
The facility said it is restricting visitation per federal guidelines, and is screening all outside medical professionals who enter.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updated information and education to the Center, staff, patients, residents and families, as updates become available,” the statement reads. “We appreciate the continued support of the long-term care community, and the agencies and associations that support us in our efforts.”
The Centennial Healthcare Center is located at 1637 29th Ave. Pl.
According to data from CDPHE, as of April 5 there have been at least 172 confirmed COVID-19 cases at nursing homes in Colorado.
There are four probable cases and six that are under investigation.
There have been 47 confirmed COVID-19-related deaths at nursing homes across the state, four probable cases and four under investigation.
While CDPHE could not provide a breakdown of cases by facility, it did give 9NEWS a list of nursing homes where COVID-19 has either been confirmed or is suspected. That list is available by county below.
Arapahoe County
Abundant Blessings (Lincoln Way, Centennial)
Bethesda Lutheran Communities (S. Logan St., Centennial)
Brookdale Meridian Englewood
Cherry Creek Nursing Center
Libby Bortz
Littleton Care and Rehab Center
Makarios Assisted Living (E. Pacific Pl., Aurora)
Pearl Street Health & Rehabilitation
RiverPointe Senior Living
Serenity House (S. Holly St.)
Someren Glen
Adams County
Avamere Transitional Care and Rehabilitation (Brighton)
Inglenook in Brighton
Boulder County
Balfour Retirement Community (Louisville)
Boulder Manor
Bridge at Longmont
Frasier Meadows
Lifecare Center of Longmont
Chaffee County
Columbine Manor - Salida
Denver County
Amberwood Court Rehab
Courtyards at Mountain View
Highline Rehabilitation and Care Community
Holly Heights
Jewell Care Center
North Care Center
Sloan's Lake Rehabilitation
Sunrise at Cherry Creek
Douglas County
Windcrest
El Paso County
Aspen Living Center
Laurel Manor
MorningStar at Mountain Shadows
Terrace Gardens
Winslow Court Assisted and Senior Living
Jefferson County
The Courtyard at Lakewood Independent Living Center
Granville Assisted Living Center
Lakeview Senior Living
Mapleton Care Center - Lakewood
Montage Ridge
Sierra Rehabilitation and Care Community
Larimer County
North Shore
Routt County
Casey's Pond
Weld County
Centennial Healthcare Center
The Center at Centerplace
Fairacres Manor (Greeley)
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