SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KRON) - Santa Clara County officials released new numbers on Thursday showing significant spikes of COVID-19 in congregate settings, which include homeless shelters and senior long-term care facilities.
Since November 18th, Boccardo Reception Center and South Hall homeless shelter have seen 67 new cases in the virus, the majority of them infecting clients.
This is the first major increase in such environments that the county has seen since the begging of the pandemic, something Dr. George Han, Deputy Health Officer for the County of Santa Clara, says is an indication of the severity of the current coronavirus surge.
“These outbreaks are an unfortunate reminder that increases in community transmission of COVID-19 threaten our most vulnerable communities,” Dr. Han said. “Along with rising cases and increasing hospitalizations, this should serve as an alarm bell for each of us to take every possible step to reduce the spread of COVID-19.”
Shelter intakes have been suspended, with no new clients being referred to the two facilities after the results of the first positive tests were confirmed.
Individuals who tested positive were placed in isolation hotel rooms, including some clients who tested negative out of an abundance of caution.
"Along with rising cases and increasing hospitalizations, this should serve as an alarm bell for each of us to take every possible step to reduce the spread of COVID-19"
Dr. George Han
Since the beginning of the pandemic, nursing homes and long-term care facilities have been disproportionally susceptible to the virus due to the heightened impact COVID-19 has on the senior population.
The county is seeing another uptick in this demographic with two San Jose nursing homes registering 237 positive total cases of the virus as of December 2.
The county did not release the names to the two facilities.
The county has deployed investigations into how the outbreaks started and is providing guidance and support to affected facilities.
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from KRON4 https://ift.tt/37xxDCf
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