31 more COVID-19 cases confirmed at Denton living center as new measures take effect
Denton County officials identified 31 more people infected with the coronavirus at the Denton State Supported Living Center on Friday, bringing the total to 39 cases at the residential facility that has turned into a hot spot for the virus in Texas.
Texas health officials on Friday announced they’re instituting new measures at the facility and providing more resources in an effort to protect residents and staff, and curb the spread of COVID-19. The campus is made up of about 1,470 employees and 450 residents who have intellectual or developmental disabilities.
That includes dedicating multiple homes on campus to isolate residents who test positive for the virus and don’t require hospitalization, according to a news release from Texas Health and Human Services, which is instituting the changes. There will also be up to four ambulances on-campus available to transport anyone who requires hospitalization. THHS is reportedly working with the Texas Division of Emergency Management to secure space in area hospitals.
There were an additional 23 cases identified in Denton County outside of the living center, officials said on Friday.
Denton County confirmed a single-day record of 54 new coronavirus cases, including 31 at the State Supported Living Center.
The county overall now has 137 cases. Two employees of the supported living facility have been tested, including one who lives outside of Denton County and is not counted in the 137 cases. Of the total cases, 29 have at one point required hospitalization.
“We do believe the community brought it in. It’s going to be impossible to trace back,” said Dr. Matt Richardson, Denton County Public Health official.
“When they go out to the public to do their essential daily functions if they would comply with social distancing when they are at the grocery store, that alone would help solve the problem without having additional measures at this time,” Denton County Judge Andy Eads said at a news conference Friday. “We’re asking for the people of Denton County to share our viewpoint and be partners with us and take individual responsibility — government cannot solve all of the problems — this is going to require individual responsibility for you as an individual and you as a household to help provide social distancing,”
Sen. Jane Nelson, a Republican from Flower Mound, announced the new measures on Friday in coordination with THHS.
Officials, she said in a statement, are “working around the clock to mitigate the spread of the virus at the Denton State Supported Living Center.”
“These are vulnerable Texans with unique needs, and protecting them is of the upmost importance,” she said. “We have stepped up testing and are bringing in additional resources from the state to ease the strain on our local hospitals.”
It was unclear on Friday how many people had been tested on the campus.
As Denton County officials announced the county’s first coronavirus death on Thursday, they confirmed one more resident of the Denton State Supported Living Center had tested positive for the virus. They announced the first four cases at the living center about a week ago, then reported two more cases and one more after that.
The 31 cases announced on Friday represent the largest single-day increase at the living center.
Denton Mayor Chris Watts and Eads have expressed concern about the county’s ability to test and treat patients. They wrote a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott requesting the State Supported Living Center be turned into a temporary hospital, according to KXAS-TV, which obtained the letter.
The new ambulances that will be made available on the campus came from the Department of State Health Services’ Texas Emergency Medical Task Force, according to the news release. There will reportedly be no impact to local emergency response.
THHS is working on identifying multiple hospitals in the region to accept patients from the campus, according to the release. This will help to preserve hospital capacity in Denton, the agency said.
Staff members working with sick individuals or anyone exposed to the virus have reportedly been given personal protective equipment.
The on-campus homes for coronavirus patients will include anyone who doesn’t need hospitalization and anyone who’s recovering from a hospital stay. The residents will be “isolated while receiving care to prevent spread,” according to the release.
All visitation and on-campus events at the Denton State Supported Living Center were suspended on March 13.
On March 16, staff started screening employees and essential visitors for a fever or respiratory problems.
This story was originally published March 27, 2020 at 3:58 PM.
