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Second Pinellas nursing home reports COVID-19 cases
Jennifer Holton reports
PALM HARBOR, Fla. - Monday brought increased concern over the spread of COVID-19 in Florida’s nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
Last week, a facility in Seminole, in Pinellas County, reported three deaths and about three dozen cases of COVID-19. Monday, the facility, Freedom Square's Seminole Pavilion Rehabilitation and Nursing Facility, revealed a total of 62 cases, 21 of which were employees at the facility.
Also Monday, as a second nursing home in Pinellas County, St. Mark Village in Palm Harbor, confirmed an outbreak of COVID-19 cases. Thirteen residents and eight employees have tested positive there.
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The CEO of St. Mark Village, Doug Fresh said the facility’s first case was a resident, who was diagnosed April 10.
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Monday, seven residents were being transported to area hospitals, AdventHealth in Tarpon Springs and Mease Countryside in Palm Harbor.
Fresh said they saw the cases jump from nine to 13 over the weekend, but none of them appear to be life-threatening at this time.
“Ours are very stable; we caught it early, we tested early. We’ve really been on top of it,” Fresh told FOX 13’s Jennifer Holton. “Again, if it wasn’t for the little flare-up over the weekend, we could have continued to maintain. But 13 cases in a small nursing home, it was good to call in help.”
Saturday, the governor’s office released the names of long-term facilities with coronavirus cases. On that list were more than two-dozen Pinellas County facilities and about seven facilities in Hillsborough.
Inspired Living at Tampa tells FOX 13 they have three cases and Pinellas Point Nursing and Rehab Center says they have fewer than a dozen cases, but would not confirm a number.
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If you feel sick:
The Florida Department of Health has opened a COVID-19 Call Center at 1-866-779-6121. Agents will answer questions around the clock. Questions may also be emailed to covid-19@flhealth.gov. Email responses will be sent during call center hours.
LINK: Florida's COVID-19 website
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