COVID outbreak at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett

EVERETT – Nearly 30 health workers at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett tested positive for COVID-19 between late October and early November, hospital spokesperson Casey Calamusa said in a statement.

On October 25, six caregivers at Everett Hospital tested positive for COVID. A week later, 20 more were identified as infected with the virus. Since then, less than five patients have also tested positive.

Providence has tested patients and staff who were exposed, isolated affected patients, stopped all hospital visits and performed deep cleanings of the facility, according to a hospital statement.

Like most other workplaces that experience clusters of cases, Providence followed all relevant safety protocols, county health official Dr Chris Spitters said on Tuesday. But with very high infection rates, the virus can find its way into any setting, he said.

“With so much transmission happening in the community, whether you are a long-term care facility, hospital, school or workplace, the chances of COVID going through the door are now 10 times higher than they were not when our rates were down. and fell below 25 “cases per 100,000, Spitters said of Snohomish County.” We should expect more of this in the near future, until we really change things and mitigated incidents in the community so there is less COVID coming through the door.

Across the county, dozens of places, including schools, restaurants, shops and construction sites, have experienced outbreaks since June.

And with rising case rates, the virus has recently returned to long-term care homes.

Meanwhile, the number of people in local hospitals due to the virus has increased 400% in the past six weeks. If the current trend continues, the county will surpass last spring’s highs for hospitalizations within the next week or two, Spitters said.

“As coronavirus cases increase and hospitalizations increase, it is essential that we all act now to protect our families, communities and ourselves,” said Dr. Jay Cook, chief medical officer of the hospital, in the press release. “Hospitals don’t have unlimited capacity. Health workers and (personal protective equipment) are not endless resources. Each of us has a moral responsibility to do what we can to stem the tide of this virus. For the sake of your loved ones and on behalf of our frontline health workers, I urge you to wear your mask and limit in-person gatherings as much as you can.

Providence said its protocols allow staff to quickly identify the outbreak and notify local and state public health organizations.

“We take infection prevention and the protection of our patients and caregivers very seriously,” the hospital said in a statement. “Our patients will continue to receive the high quality care that our community expects from Providence Regional Medical Center Everett.”

The Snohomish Health District helps Providence inform the close contacts of all those who have tested positive.

Joey Thompson: 425-339-3449; [email protected]. Twitter: @byjoeythompson.