Scott Twp. Kane Community Living Center Reports 10 Deaths From Coronavirus
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
SCOTT TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- Kane Community Living Centers is dealing with a coronavirus outbreak in their Scott Township facility.
Kane Director Dennis Biondo and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mario Fatigati held a news conference Friday to offer an update.
In the last 20 days, 105 residents have tested positive for coronavirus. Ten patients have died, which is five more than just two days ago. Several others have been hospitalized, but others have already recovered.
On top of that, there's been a total of 33 positive cases among staff.
This is something Kane Community Living Centers Director Dennis Biondo said the facility is in the process of trying to control.
"Things like full PPE, N95 masks, masking throughout the building at all times, limiting resident movements, limiting visitation," said Biondo.
Before the outbreak, Kane launched what's called a Rapid Response Team, which is a collaboration between organizations like UPMC, AHN and St. Clair Hospital. Since the outbreak, the team has been onsite giving recommendations on how to stop the spread.
"They've provided testing services to test our staff who are using N95 masks, they've assisted with additional staffing, they also provided supply of PPE and they are going to assist with testing," said Biondo.
How did this outbreak happen after the one in Glen Hazel if Kane said it's been following proper health protocols from the beginning?
"Our employees are human beings," said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mario Fatigati. "I think a lot of facilities, whether it's schools or businesses or nursing facilities, they will always struggle with that. There's no way to give you a definitive answer and say 'this is how it happened.'"
Kane said it's keeping the majority of positive residents on the second floor. They call it the "red zone" and have a separate entrance for these employees. This is one thing they're hoping will help to mitigate the spread of the virus.
