The N.H Department of Health and Human Services has announced three new outbreaks of COVID-19 in the last two weeks in long-term care facilities, including one in Warner that reported dozens of new cases over the weekend.
For many nursing homes, the new cases could threaten to reverse their reopening plans.
At Pine Rock Manor, a long-term assisted living dementia care facility in Warner, 71% of residents tested positive for COVID-19. As of Monday, 35 residents and eight staff members had tested positive for the virus, a leap from when the outbreak was first announced on Thursday with 4 resident cases.
In a letter to residents and family members at Pine Rock Manor, the general manager of the facility said team members will now be mandated to wear full personal protective equipment, such as gowns and gloves. Access to the dining program, visitation, and group activities will remain on hold.
Aside from one resident who is in the hospital receiving treatment, residents either experienced mild or no symptoms, Loree Wagner, a spokesperson for Pine Rock Manor, said. One team member has mild symptoms.
Two other facilities in southern New Hampshire, Bedford Hills Center and Warde Health Center Windham, reported 55 and 3 resident cases, respectively.
These outbreaks come after a relatively quiet summer for nursing home cases. In September, the state reported one new outbreak at a long-term care facility.
Jake Leon, a spokesperson for the N.H Department of Health and Human Services, said most long-term care facilities were in “phase 2” of the state’s reopening plan this summer, which allows some nonessential personnel, like hairdressers, and limited group activities and communal dining.
In light of the recent outbreaks, he said some homes may have to start rolling back to “phase 1,” which prohibits nonessential personnel and limits visitations.
“I’m going to be shocked if we don’t see that by the end of the week,” he said.
The new cases are concerning to health care advocates. Brendan Williams, the president of the New Hampshire Health Care Association, says these outbreaks are inevitable as the number of community cases also increases.
This month, the number of new cases has jumped in New Hampshire, as it has in many other parts of the country. The average number of cases has risen by more than 10 a day in the past week, the fastest rise since the early weeks of the pandemic, as reported by the Monitor.
Williams is concerned that as the holidays approach, these numbers will rise even higher.
Though it’s not clear exactly what is driving the spike, many have speculated it has to do with the cold weather forcing gatherings inside and a “safety fatigue,” or feeling tired of taking coronavirus precautions.
Further concerning health care advocates is the location of the new outbreaks.
Until recently, long term care facilities in southern New Hampshire have borne the brunt of COVID-19 outbreaks. Williams could only think of two facilities in all of Manchester that haven’t been touched by the virus. Cumulatively, Manchester, and Nashua reported 476 cases in long term care facilities.
However, two of the facilities that have experienced outbreaks recently have been located in central New Hampshire, which could suggest outbreaks are spreading north.
“It doesn’t take much for the virus to really start moving around,” Williams said. “We’ve been fortunate that prevalence has been low. If it gets high, no reason to think it won’t spread all over the state.”