COVID Updates on Local Outbreaks
Most of the COVID cases associated with the recent coronavirus outbreak at local nursing homes and the Fayette County Jail are entering the recovery phase, according to Fayette County Emergency Management Chief Craig Moreau.
Last Monday Moreau announced 35 new cases involving residents and staff at four long term care facilities in Fayette County, along with five jailers and an inmate who all tested positive for the virus. One jailer was hospitalized. Some of the nursing home residents were transported to special nursing facilities for COVID patients, primarily in the San Antonio area.
“They should be returning once the quarantine time has passed,” Moreau said.
One nursing home resident who tested positive was hospitalized for a reason unrelated to COVID, Moreau said. However, he said COVID was complicating that person’s treatment.
The outbreak likely spread through family members who work at different facilities but live in the same house. In an interview on Wednesday, Sept. 16, Moreau said the County identi fied 10 additional cases associated with the outbreak at both the long-term care facilities and at the jail.
“The jail situation has affected more jailers than inmates,” Moreau said. “We had one jailer hospitalized, who is doing a lot better but still not out of the woods. So far, the prisoners have not required medical interventions.”
Moreau said he knows of three people in Fayette County currently hospitalized for COVID. When asked if that number includes the jailer and the nursing home resident, Moreau said he could not comment due to medical privacy laws.
“None are in critical condition that I am aware of,” Moreau said.
However, he said there is no reliable reporting system for hospitalizations.
“The state update I just got had that number at zero, and I know that’s not true,” Moreau said.
A large disparity remains between the COVID numbers the State is reporting and the numbers reported by Fayette County.
The State reports 65 active cases in Fayette County as of Wednesday afternoon while the County reports 21 confirmed active cases and 16 probable cases. Moreover, the State reports 18 fatalities attributed to COVID since the pandemic began; Fayette County reports eight.
“The State reports confirmed and probable COVID deaths, and they don’t take anyone off until they confirm it wasn’t a COVID death,” Moreau said. “We take opposite approach. We only post numbers that are confirmed COVID deaths.”
Moreau said his office confirms COVID deaths by the cause of death listed on the death certificate, consulting with the patient’s doctor, reports from family members or a combination, first-hand involvement with the case or a combination of all four.
Moreau said he knows of three fatalities reported by the State that were not COVID deaths.
“I’m 100 percent sure they are not COVID deaths,” Moreau said. “COVID is not listed on the death certificate, their family says it wasn’t a COVID death and their physician says it wasn’t a COVID death. They’re still listed on the State website because the State has not poured through all those things and cleared those numbers out yet. It’s a priority for them, but its not a high priority.”
Since the pandemic began, Fayette County reports that 533 have tested positive for the virus, including the 21 confirmed and 16 probable active cases. Of those, 474 people have recovered. Fourteen patients who once tested positive have been lost to follow-up.
LGISD Cases
La Grange ISD reported three new COVID cases in the elementary Wednesday. None of the three students who tested postive had been in class since last Friday.
Eight other students deemed to have had close contact with that trio were also sent home.
– Jeff Wick