Coronavirus cases climbing at state VA nursing home in Pembroke Pines, with two vets dying
A dozen military veterans residing at a state VA nursing home in Pembroke Pines have become infected with the coronavirus, six times as many as were first diagnosed last month when the pandemic struck Florida, officials said.
Of those, eight veterans are hospitalized with the COVID-19 disease, according to the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs. The other four are not showing symptoms of the respiratory disease but are being isolated at the Alexander Nininger Jr. State Veterans Nursing Home.
“We conducted approximately 90 tests of residents and staff during the past week and have received results on nearly all the tests at this time,” said the state VA’s communications director, Steve Murray. “No healthcare professionals at the home have tested positive to date.”
Murray said the coronavirus testing focused on the area of the nursing home where residents have tested positive in the past. He said additional testing will be done of all patients and staff employees. In total, there are 108 residents and 145 staff at the Pembroke Pines nursing home.
Murray said there have been two veterans’ deaths stemming from complications related to COVID-19 infections at the nursing home, including one this week and one last week.
“It is with profound sadness we announce the passing of a second hospitalized veteran due to a COVID-19 related illness,” the state Veterans Affairs’ executive director, Danny Burgess, said in a statement.
Besides the Pembroke Pines’ facility, Murray pointed out that no residents or healthcare workers at the other six state veterans’ nursing homes in Florida have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The state VA’s disclosures on the pandemic’s toll stand in stark contrast to the refusal by top Florida officials to release any information on the number of COVID-19 cases in licensed nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in Florida.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration are refusing to name nursing homes and ALFs where positive tests have occurred. The Miami Herald, joined by a slew of other news organizations, has filed notice of intent to file a public records lawsuit over that refusal. DeSantis tried to block the suit.
In contrast, the state Veterans Affairs agency has not only provided information to the Miami Herald on its network of nursing homes but also on how the agency handles coronavirus cases.
“If a staff member of any home has symptoms or reports potential exposure, we deny them entry into the facility and request a test from their health care provider (and potential 14-day isolation) before returning to work,” Murray said in a statement.
“Veterans exhibiting symptoms are sent to local hospitals and tested there,” he said. “Most have been flu and pneumonia, etc. As they recover, they are discharged and returned to our care.”
In addition, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs updates its web page daily with information on COVID-19 cases, broken down by positive tests at individual VA hospitals in Florida and other states.
On Thursday, the federal VA reported about 200 COVID-19 cases among military veterans in Florida, including about 80 in Miami and over 60 in Orlando, the two hardest-hit areas.
There have been at least nine veterans’ deaths at federal VA facilities in Florida, including four at the Miami VA hospital and two at the West Palm Beach VA facility, according to records.
In addition, the number of Miami VA staff employees infected with the coronavirus has nearly doubled to 35 over the past week, representing just over one percent of roughly 3,000 healthcare and other workers at the downtown hospital, a VA spokesperson confirmed Friday.
This story was originally published April 17, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
