A long-term care facility in south Keizer is sixth in the state with 14 cases of COVID-19.
The Oaks at Sherwood Park in south Keizer has reported 14 cases of COVID-19 infection according to a list issued by the Department of Human Services Saturday, April 11.
The Oaks was sixth on the list of nine long-term care facilities in the state with more than five cases of COVID-19. A lLebanon-based veterans home and a Portland-based intermediate care facility topped the list.
It is not known how many patients currently reside at the facility. One person who tested positive for the virus has since passed away, but that individual was in end-of-life care prior to the positive test.
A message on the facility’s website dated April 3 states that the organization is not answering questions about the outbreak and directs inquiries to the Oregon Health Authority or the Oregon Healthcare Association.
“Although as an independent facility we strive to be a constructive resource to our community that may have an interest in this information and data, we have been counseled by our health organizations that we must also maintain employee and resident privacy. Thus, in ensuring that privacy is maintained, we have unfortunately been directed to not provide any further update information to you via our website,” the message states.
In a prior message two days before Oaks went silent, states “ Unfortunately, we (like most nursing homes in our communities) have treated and discharged back to the hospital positive COVID-19 residents and are working feverishly to contain and isolate every case as feasibly possible.”
The message confirms that one resident tested positive at that time, April 1, and five more had been discharged and sent back to the hospital. Two of the additional patients also passed away.
“Sadly, one of these positive patients that was on Hospice in our facility and returned back to the hospital for testing has passed away,” the message states.