Three residents and one staff member of Heritage Place Skilled Nursing facility tested positive on Sunday November 8. The positive residents and staff were sampled on Friday, November 6, with positive test results being communicated to the facility on Sunday, November 8th.
All of the residents who tested positive (3) or were exposed to positive residents have been placed in private rooms. Two of the positive residents are asymptomatic, while the third is symptomatic. All three positives have been placed in isolation. Three (3) other residents who are not positive, but had close contact with a positive resident, have been placed in quarantine in private rooms. The total number of residents in quarantine and isolation is six (6). All of these six residents remain at Heritage Place. All remaining residents have tested negative and will also remain in quarantine per recommendations from State Epidemiology. Family members of the positive residents have been contacted and an email was sent to all other resident family members. The newly positive staff member is in isolation at home.
Three staff members tested positive between October 26th and 30th which resulted in all residents and staff being tested every three days. This testing regimen has and will continue until there are no positive results from either staff or residents.
Heritage Place and the Central Peninsula Hospital Incident Command Team have been in contact with the State of Alaska Section on Epidemiology. In addition, we have notified the Kenai Peninsula Borough Incident Command.
Heritage Place has operated under strict conditions for residents since the positive staff results that were received late October. These restrictions include:
- No resident gatherings
- Limited resident traffic in the facility to only that which is required for care
- No visitors – Virtual visiting using video is taking place via iPads
- Common areas remain closed
- Dining room is closed
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has been and continues to be worn by Heritage Place staff while caring for residents. Additional PPE supplies have been sent to Heritage Place from Central Peninsula Hospital. Staffing for the facility is a challenge but it remains fully staffed at this time.
Heritage Place is owned by the Kenai Peninsula Borough and operated by Central Peninsula Hospital. It is a 60 bed, skilled nursing facility, certified by the State of Alaska, and has served the community since 1986.