Nursing home sees 5 COVID-19 deaths
New Milford facility had more than 30 cases in Nov.
NEW MILFORD — A COVID-19 outbreak at a New Milford nursing home led to five resident deaths and resulted in more than 30 people testing positive over a two-week stretch last month.
Details of the outbreak come as the state continues to see an increased number of COVID cases and higher positivity rates than has been experienced in recent months.
A Candlewood Valley official said the recent outbreak was isolated, noting that this was the first major wave of COVID-19 the nursing home had expe
rienced since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. During the two-week period from Nov. 10 to Nov. 23, 36 of their 105 residents tested positive for COVID-19, as well as eight staff, according to state data. The state logged a total of 12 deaths at nursing homes during that same timeframe, include the five at the New Milford nursing home.
“We have been diligent in evading prior waves of the virus in our facility, we have a 99% vaccination rate of our residents, all positive patients were offered and/or treated with the monoclonal antibody treatment. These measures have greatly reduced mortality and morbidities from the illness,” said Kenneth Marici, Candlewood Valley’s medical director, in a statement to Hearst Connecticut.
The center said its first positive case was detected on Nov. 13.
On Wednesday, Candlewood Valley reported their first round of all negative tests for residents and staff since the initial case.
The center has been working with the state Department of Public Health to make sure “all necessary precautions are being taken to decrease the risk of further spread of the illness” and had an on-site visit from the Department of Epidemiology, who was “satisfied with the mitigation efforts that we have taken,” the statement from Marici continued.
At this time, all fully-vaccinated residents have received their COVID-19 booster shot, according to Melissa Marici, director of community outreach at the center. All staff, except for two with medical exemptions, have been vaccinated. Neither was a carrier of COVID-19, she said.
Testing occurs twice a week through Griffin Health, which visits Candlewood Valley. The center could not pinpoint where the infection was introduced.
Most residents who tested positive “have fared well” with mild to moderate symptoms, and haven’t had to be hospitalized, Melissa Marici said.
She added that the center’s aging residents go to the hospital regularly for various health concerns, so the fact that staff hasn’t had to send other COVID-positive residents to the hospital is significant.
Residents have to be able to access their loved ones and attend doctors appointments, affording them quality of life, Melissa Marici said. While the center is following “every single protocol,” allowing movement in and out of the center does bring some vulnerabilities.
“We can’t keep all of our doors closed all of the time,” she said. “It’s been two years. We can’t say ‘nobody is seeing family.’”
Still, Melissa Marici said it’s always devastating to lose a resident.
“We cry for every patient.” Mayor Pete Bass informed New Milford residents of the deaths in a Facebook post Tuesday night.
“Please say a prayer for the departed and their families,” he wrote.
The Department of Public Health and local Health Director Lisa Morrissey did not provide comment Wednesday.
“All we can possibly say to our supportive communities is that we, along with our fellow skilled nursing care facilities, are fighting the virus with everything we have in our arsenal of medical knowledge, available treatments and tender, love and care,” said David Segal, administrator at Candlewood Valley, in a statement.
Kenneth Marici said the center will continue to collaborate with the state public health department to ensure that staff are “doing everything possible to keep our residents safe.”