A Bellefonte senior living facility is the third in Centre County to confirm a case of COVID-19
A Centre Crest employee tested positive for the new coronavirus, the nursing and rehabilitation center’s administrator said Tuesday.
Centre Crest is the third known nursing or personal care home in Centre County with a case of COVID-19.
The Oaks at Pleasant Gap last week confirmed to the Centre Daily Times that a resident and staff member each tested positive, while Wynwood House at State College confirmed Friday that an employee tested positive.
Facilities with a case of COVID-19 are not identified by the state Department of Health, whose website lists four positive cases each among residents and employees across three facilities in Centre County as of Tuesday.
Centre Crest was informed of the employee’s positive test and notified residents’ families Tuesday. The employee did not work on the facility’s resident care unit and has been quarantined since April 21, administrator Andrew Naugle said.
They contracted the disease after coming in contact with someone who previously tested positive for COVID-19, Naugle said.
“As our nation, commonwealth and local community continue to weather the coronavirus pandemic, we believe it is extremely important that accurate communication occurs,” Naugle said. “We value our residents, their families, staff and volunteers and want to provide them with the most current information possible.”
About 67% of the 3,012 Pennsylvanians who died of COVID-19 as of noon Tuesday were nursing or personal care home residents, according to the state Health Department.
About 21% of total cases in the Keystone State involve a long-term care resident or employee.
Several states, including neighboring New York and New Jersey, have at least partially identified facilities with outbreaks. In Pennsylvania, some state and federal officials have even expressed bipartisan support for making such information public.
Health Department spokesman Nate Wardle did not directly say last week in a statement why the department has not identified facilities.
“We are constantly reviewing and considering what information to release publicly, while also protecting the privacy and confidentiality of Pennsylvanians,” Wardle wrote. “Discussions about data and information that we can provide are ongoing as we work to keep the public and the media informed.”
This story was originally published May 5, 2020 at 4:57 PM.