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 experienced since the pandemic began in March 2020. Over From the two-week period of Nov. 10 to Nov. 23, 36 of their 105 residents tested positive for COVID-19, along with eight staff, according to state data. The state recorded a total of 12 nursing home deaths during the same period, including five at the New Milford Nursing Home.

“We have been diligent to avoid previous waves of the virus in our facility, we have a vaccination rate of 99% of our residents, all positive patients have been offered and / or treated with the monoclonal antibody treatment. These measures have dramatically reduced mortality and morbidity from the disease, ”said Kenneth Marici, medical director of Candlewood Valley, in a statement to Hearst Connecticut.

The center said its first positive case was detected on November 13.

Candlewood Valley reported its first round of negative tests for residents and staff on Wednesday since the initial case.

The center worked with the State Department of Public Health to ensure that “all necessary precautions are taken to reduce the risk of the disease spreading” and received an on-site visit from the Department of Epidemiology, which was “satisfied with our mitigation efforts,” Marici’s statement continued.

Currently, all fully vaccinated residents have received their COVID-19 booster injection, according to Melissa Marici, director of community outreach at the center. All staff, except two with medical dispensations, have been vaccinated. Neither was a carrier of COVID-19, she said.

Testing takes place twice a week through Griffin Health, which travels to Candlewood Valley. The center could not determine where the infection was introduced.

Most of the residents who tested positive “did well” with mild to moderate symptoms and did not need to be hospitalized, said Melissa Marici.

She added that the centre’s aging residents regularly visit the hospital for various health issues, so it is important that staff did not have to send other COVID-positive residents to the hospital. .

Residents need to be able to access loved ones and attend doctor’s appointments, which provides them with a quality of life, said Melissa Marici. Although the center follows “every unique protocol”, allowing movement in and out of the center results in certain vulnerabilities.

“We can’t keep all of our doors closed all the time,” she said. “It’s been two years. We cannot say “no one sees the family”.

Still, Melissa Marici said it is 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 on Tuesday evening.

“Please say a prayer for the deceased and their families,” he wrote.

The Department of Public Health and local health director Lisa Morrissey made no comment on Wednesday.

“All we can say to our supportive communities is that we, along with our fellow skilled nursing facilities, are combating the virus with whatever we have in our arsenal of medical knowledge, available treatments and loving kindness. , love and care, ”David Segal, director of Candlewood Valley, said in a statement.

Kenneth Marici said the center will continue to work with the state’s public health department to ensure staff “do everything possible to keep our residents safe.”