Business leaders are blamed in an epidemic that killed 11 children :: WRAL.com



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– A federal report indicates that a viral outbreak that killed 11 children in a New Jersey retirement home was compounded by the fact that officials had not planned such an outbreak and had not reacted fairly quickly.

The Record reports that the pediatric medical director of the Wanaque Nursing and Rehabilitation Center did not know how many children had been infected with the adenovirus nor what his work implied at the time of the outbreak. last fall.

Management deficiencies "contributed to the delay in identifying and controlling the adenovirus epidemic, affecting 33 residents (and) a staff member, and resulted in the death of 11 residents in pediatrics, "according to the report.

Center Administrator Rowena Bautista said the report of the regional offices of the health insurance centers and Medicaid services was "riddled with inaccuracies and flagrant errors". She says the center has appealed the findings and will "vigorously challenge" the allegations.

"We are exasperated that after a cursory review, federal investigators have written a report with factual errors, disregard for medical judgment and blatant misrepresentation of how the viruses are spreading," he said. she declared.

The 114-page report was written on November 17. The inspectors went to the Wanaque center during the epidemic from 13 to 17 November. The center has 92 beds for children and 135 beds for elderly residents.

No new cases of the virus have been reported to the center since 12 November. But the state still prohibits new admissions to its pediatric ventilation unit.

The adenovirus usually poses little risk to healthy people. It can cause mild symptoms of colds or flu, and some strains can also cause diarrhea and pinkeye.

The strain found in the home of Wanaque Rehabilitation Center is called Type 7 and is one of the most powerful types. It sometimes causes more serious respiratory diseases, especially in people whose immune systems are weakened.

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