by Kate Evans

The Stonerise Healthcare Berkeley Springs Center recorded a total of nine deaths associated with COVID-19 as of Friday, October 1, according to the COVID-19 dashboard from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR).

Three deaths associated with COVID-19 were previously listed as of Monday, September 20 as a result of the epidemic. As of Friday, there were 18 actively positive residents and no actively positive staff members at the Berkeley Springs Stonerise facility, according to the DHHR website.

According to the Stonerise Healthcare website, the number of positive COVID-19 cases at their Berkeley Springs center on Monday, October 4 was one, with 78 negative or cured patients out of 79 total patients.

Some 27 residents and eight staff members had recovered from COVID-19 on Friday, according to the DHHR. A total of 45 residents and 13 staff were infected with the virus at the facility, and five of the staff were affected in a previous COVID outbreak that did not spread to residents. The DHHR COVID-19 dashboard is updated weekly on Friday morning for long-term care facilities.

A positive case now

“As of October 4, Stonerise Berkeley Springs had a patient in the center who tested positive for COVID-19. Forty-one patients have recovered from the virus, ”said Larry Pack, CEO of Stonerise Healthcare, in a press release from Kristin Anderson, chief marketing officer of Stonerise.

“As we have seen throughout the pandemic, when the COVID-19 virus is present in our communities, it can find its way into our centers. We are taking all necessary precautions to prevent further spread of the virus and are coordinating closely with state and local health officials, including the Morgan County Department of Health, ”Pack said.

Security measures

“We are supporting aggressive security measures to contain the spread of the virus, including restricting in-person visits, the use of personal protective equipment, the temporary suspension of patient gatherings, the performance of ongoing testing at the center-wide and maintaining all CDC infection control policies and guidelines, ”he added.

Pack noted that 96% of patients and 86% of staff at Stonerise Berkeley Springs received at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Our ultimate goal is the safety and health of our patients and employees, and we work diligently to continue to provide quality care while ensuring the safety of all. We are very proud of our team members who work as diligently as possible to provide a safe and loving environment for all patients, ”Pack said.

“We urge the local community to join us and our hospital partners in the fight against COVID-19 by embracing the vaccine, social distancing and wearing masks,” said previously Laura Barker, vice president of communications and strategic planning for Stonerise Healthcare.