NUECES COUNTY, Texas — Nursing Home Worker Tests Positive
Earlier this week, we reported that a health care worker who was asymptomatic tested positive for the coronavirus. That health care worker has worked at two nursing home facilities in Corpus Christi.
The Nueces County Health Department tested 150 residents and employees at one of those nursing homes. The other nursing home declined the department's offer to forgo the risk of outside folks coming into the facility altogether.
Nueces County Health Director Annette Rodriguez says at the facility that did allow testing, residents were tested, but it was mostly staff, and those who may be visiting more than one facility.
"Mostly staff so I think more than 100 were staff and we did some doctors, too, which I love doing the doctors, too, because the doctors do tend to go to different facilities as well," Rodriguez said.
We're told the health care worker who tested positive is still not working until the person can produce two negative COVID-19 tests.
Dismas Charities Inc.
Health officials confirming today that there are at least three positive cases at a local halfway house.
We've learned from a family member at the facility that it's the Dismas Charities Inc. halfway house in downtown Corpus Christi. We spoke with Rodriguez about that today.
"We're looking at that because in my mind, a halfway house sounds like something that is a little small, so I just need to know how many people are there, you know, what are the living quarters like, ya know, do they move very quickly, is it in and out or is it weeks?" Rodriguez said. "I don't know any of those answers at this time."
South Texas Beef
Seven employees at South Texas Beef have tested positive for COVID-19. The public health district saying at least one of those employees is back at work and at least three are in the hospital.
Rodriguez says they found out about the first employee when they were doing contact tracing. Health district officials say they believe the second employee was a community spread case because they had family members that showed symptoms, but never got tested. The two worked in different buildings at the plant.
The third and fourth person were in the same building, but were not within six feet of each other.
"One of them I don't see as connected," Rodriguez added. "The others I think there is a connection. Just trying to figure out who, where did it start? How is it going? You know, so those are the types of things that we are looking at."
Plant operators tell Rodriguez they already had employees wear gloves, masks, and gowns. Their cafeteria tables have also been divided with Plexiglas. A third party is sanitizing and another is doing fever testing. If anyone feels sick they are sent home.
Rodriguez says they are calling other counties to see if they have anybody testing positive over there that may work at the plant.
She says the public health district is working with the National Guard and the state to try and do large group testing at the facility.
For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.
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