3 Residents Of Southern IN Nursing Home Die From COVID-19

MITCHELL, Ind. (AP) — Three residents of a southern Indiana nursing home have died from COVID-19 and 19 others there have tested positive for the disease, the facility said.

Two other residents have tested positive for the disease caused by the coronavirus pandemic after being transferred to a hospital, and tests on four others are pending, Mitchell Manor Executive Director Kathi Hignite-Owens said.

An Indiana State Department of Health Strike Team went to the nursing home Wednesday to test residents as a precaution and assist in early detection, The Times-Mail reported.

Mitchell Manor, located about 75 miles southwest of Indianapolis, is following all federal, state and local guidelines on the disease, and its staff is “being diligent practicing proper hand hygiene and the use of personal protective equipment,” Hignite-Owens said in a statement.

Every worker is screened for symptoms when they arrive and when they leave, she said.

Visitors and vendors also are restricted, she said.

“The safety and well-being of our residents will remain our highest priority as we continue to work in partnership with the Indiana State Department of Health and the local health department and follow the guidance they provide,” Hignite-Owens said.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. Older adults and people with existing health problems are among those particularly susceptible to more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover.