State discloses virus cases at care facilities

Published 10:30 am Friday, October 1, 2021

Coronavirus cases have been reported at Astor Place.

The Oregon Health Authority has disclosed coronavirus cases at two care facilities in Clatsop County.

Five virus cases were reported at Astor Place Assisted Living Community in Astoria in late September. Three virus cases were reported at Providence ElderPlace in North Coast, a Seaside outpatient center, according to the health authority’s weekly outbreak report.

“The safety and health of our residents and employees is our top priority,” Jeremy Ross, the director of communications at Enlivant, a company that oversees Astor Place and senior living homes nationwide, said in an email.

“Astor Place experienced about one year and eight months without a single positive COVID-19 case, but when that changed we followed all state and local guidelines,” Ross said. “Since the health department information came out, we can report all COVID cases have finished precautionary isolation and have recovered.

“While we can’t get into specific health cases, we have no doubt our industry-leading vaccine policy played a role in preventing more serious results and we are grateful for these outcomes.”

Astor Place did not answer questions about the circumstances of the outbreak, whether staff or residents caught the virus, or the vaccination status of the infected individuals.

Mike Antrim, a Providence spokesman, said the virus cases at ElderPlace did not involve patients. The facility, which is not a residential center, closed for 10 days as a result of the outbreak and reopened Friday. For privacy reasons, Providence declined to share more details, he said.

The health authority, meanwhile, listed a virus outbreak at Clatsop Care Health & Rehabilitation at 11 virus cases.

Clarissa Johnson, an administrator at the Astoria facility, said that Clatsop Care Health & Rehabilitation continues to dispute the health authority’s figures. When the state reported 10 virus cases, the facility said it was six. With the state now reporting 11 virus cases, the facility said the number is seven.

The new case, Johnson said, was a vaccinated staff member who caught the virus while on vacation and had been out of the building for about five days before feeling symptomatic.

“It’s everywhere in the community, and it’s difficult to avoid,” Johnson said.

In late summer, dozens of virus cases at care homes on the North Coast caused concern among public health leaders. Several of the local deaths from the virus this summer were tied to care homes.

The Oregon Health Authority also reported 12 new virus cases for the county on Friday and 13 new virus cases on Thursday. Since the pandemic began, the county had recorded 2,300 virus cases and 27 deaths as of Friday.

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