'It's Scary': Westmoreland Co. Coroner Says State Health Officials Were Too Slow To Stop Spread Of Coronavirus In Nursing Homes
ALLEGHENY COUNTY (KDKA) -- The grim pattern is eerily similar.
It starts with the infection of a resident or a staff member at a nursing home or assisted care facility.
Within days, the virus spreads and facilities become places of contagion and death for the most vulnerable among us.
"It just the way we're set up. They're close quarters, they've got two people in a room. It's just a perfect situation for this spreading," said Westmoreland County Coroner Ken Bacha.
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Bacha says almost all of his county's coronavirus deaths have been from nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
"It's scary. Out of the 25 deaths that have been reported to the Westmoreland County Coroner Office, 23 of them are from either personal care homes or nursing homes," Bacha said.
The death toll in our region is shocking. In addition to those 23 coronavirus-related deaths in Westmoreland County, state Health Department figures show that 48 residents have died of the virus in facilities in Allegheny County while 38 have died in Beaver County.
In Butler County, there have been two deaths. Washington and Fayette counties have one death each.
The facilities are not allowing visitors, communal dining or activities for residents, and coronavirus cases are being contained to one floor or unit.
But Bacha says the measures aren't working and health officials were too slow to intervene.
"There could have been action taken to go in and help these facilities and slow these numbers down or stop them. That is the part that irks me, is that there could have been more work done on the preventive side," Bacha said.
Nancy Paterline, whose mother has the virus at St. Barnabas in Wexford, has high praise for the care her mom receives.
But she is upset the administration won't reveal the scope of the virus to families.
"It's my mother, I feel like I should know how many people have it, how many have passed away and more importantly, how many people have recovered," Paterline said.
