Coronavirus: 2 deaths confirmed at evacuated Wayzata care home
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The outbreak of COVID-19 at an assisted-living facility in Wayzata has claimed the life of two residents.
More than 40 residents at the Meridian Manor senior home at 163 Wayzata Blvd. were moved to other facilities over the weekend after an outbreak among residents, staff, and administration meant there were not enough employees to provide care.
The home's operator, Transforming Age, confirmed in a statement to BMTN on Sunday that 18 of its residents have tested positive for the coronavirus, two of whom have died due to complications of the virus.
It says it has taken "extreme precautions" to protect other residents and staff from the virus.
"Meridian Manor has been diligently screening residents and sending anyone with even the slightest change of health to the hospital for appropriate testing and care. After residents began testing positive at the hospital on April 7, Meridian Manor sought to get all residents tested in partnership with Twin City Physicians and Bluestone Physicians.
"On April 18, the Minnesota Department of Health Emergency COVID task force directed Meridian Manor to transition all residents not affected by COVID-19 to other providers while residents with COVID-19 continue to be treated in hospitals. Meridian Manor is fully cooperating with MDH and the team is humbled by the support of neighboring providers that are graciously taking in our residents during this difficult time."
As predicted by epidemiologists, the coronavirus is proving particularly deadly for residents of congregate care settings in Minnesota.
As of Sunday, the median age of Minnesota patients who have died from the virus is 85, while 18 percent of Minnesota's 2,356 positive cases have come from long-term care homes, albeit patients in these congregate living settings are prioritized for testing.
The Minnesota Department of Health has identified 85 care homes with more than 10 residents that have experienced a COVID-19 outbreak during the pandemic. An outbreak is classified as a single case of the virus or more.
The risk to elderly care home residents can be seen in the figures for Winona County, which has registered the second most deaths in the state with 10 – behind only Hennepin County where 75 have died.
The Winona Daily News reported on Sunday that all of Winona County's deaths have been at the same congregate living facility, Sauer Health Care off of Hwy. 14.
