Coronavirus outbreaks: Santa Clara Co. reports 151 cases in nursing home, 60 cases in homeless shelter

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) – Santa Clara County said Thursday it was monitoring several outbreaks of the coronavirus in collective living centers, including nursing homes and at least one homeless shelter.

According to public health officials, 151 people tested positive for COVID-19 in a recent outbreak at the Westwood Post-Acute Center in San Jose, formerly known as Amberwood Gardens.

Santa Clara County also announced its first outbreak at a homeless shelter since the pandemic began, reporting 60 cases to the Boccardo reception center, four of which were employees.

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“We transferred all those who were HIV positive to a hotel to isolate them safely,” said Dr George Han, deputy health officer in the Santa Clara County Department of Health.

Even people who have not yet tested positive, but who may have been exposed, have also been sent to quarantined hotel rooms.

Dr Han said the city’s largest shelter at South Hall in downtown San Jose is also being watched for a possible outbreak.

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The county detected seven positive cases there, but said it had not determined whether the cases were more widespread.

Since the start of the pandemic, Santa Clara County has reported 1,837 positive cases of COVID-19 in long-term care facilities, such as skilled retirement homes and assisted living centers. Of this total, 270 people were hospitalized and 220 died.

“They seem to have him under control,” Huang, who declined to give his last name, said of Westood Post-Acute.

Her father transferred there from another facility two weeks ago and has just come out of quarantine.

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“This is the first time we can see him today,” said Huang.

By “see” he means that they were able to see him through a glass door and talk on the phone.

“It’s a bit difficult to communicate,” he admitted. “I had to put him on the loudspeaker of the cell phone. Even then he is hard of hearing.”

So far, her father has not contracted the virus.

ABC7 has contacted Westwood Post-Acute for comment, but has not received a response.

Another skilled nursing facility in San Jose, Skyline Healthcare Center, has also experienced a recent outbreak. Skyline has had 86 positive cases, 20 of which were from healthcare workers, according to the San Jose Mercury News. ABC7 has also reached out to Skyline for comment, but has yet to receive a response.

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