90 More Deaths Reported in Local Nursing Homes
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The coronavirus continues to plague Ohio nursing homes as 674 residents died in the past week, including 90 deaths in the Mahoning Valley, the Ohio Department of Health reports.
Mahoning County reported 68 residents living in senior care centers died since the state’s last report May 6. Columbiana County reported 15 deaths of long-term residents and Trumbull County had 11 deaths since ODH began reporting cases and deaths related to COVID-19 occurring in long-term care facilities.
There have been 190 Mahoning Valley residents at senior care centers who have died since the state began posting on its website the number of cases and deaths since April 15. Elderly people with underlying health conditions are more susceptible to infectious respiratory virus.
In Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties, 745 residents and 287 staff members in senior living centers have tested positive since April 15. In Ohio, the number of staff and residents with COVID-19 is 8,311.
In Mahoning County, the cases among residents living in senior care centers continues to increase with 158 new cases this week and 330 cumulative cases. Workers at these facilities testing positive for the virus is growing as well with 66 cases this week and 154 cumulative.
Trumbull County, eight residents were positive and 30 cumulative, while one new and three cumulative staff cases were reported. Weekly numbers show 51 new cases and 74 cumulative cases among residents in Columbiana County, while six new staff members and 14 cumulative staff were positive for COVID-19.
The state reports 1,684 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state among residents, 3,151 cumulative cases. There are 670 cases among staff this week and 1,334 cumulative cases.
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 aren’t as high in facilities in Columbiana and Trumbull counties.
Cumulative totals do not include patients or staff who have recovered, hospitalized, or passed away prior to the dates listed. ODH says ongoing adjustments to the cumulative numbers as probable/pending cases are reclassified and removed following negative test results, or if data corrections are reported in previous weeks (e.g., data inadvertently entered for cases prior to April 15. Cases and deaths that occurred prior to April 15 are unavailable.
Mahoning County’s 68 deaths is an increase of 22 deaths related to COVID-19 since May 6. Lucas County led the state with 92 deaths, however, only 33 of 88 counties were listed on the state’s website.
Mahoning County Public Health officials caution that spikes in the number of deaths related to the infectious respiratory virus does not indicate all 68 deaths occurred in one week. Deaths are recorded according to the date reported and not the actual date and can be delayed. The number reported includes both confirmed and probable cases.
The number of Mahoning County nursing home deaths is reflective of county public health department reports that show 69% of all deaths, or 95 of 138, are long-term care residents. The numbers date back to when Mahoning County recorded its first COVID-19 death March 26.
The initial report posted on April 17, did not list deaths or staff members. That list was taken down from the website, as ODH officials said there was erroneous information.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
