HOLYOKE — Five more veterans have died at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke, bringing the number of resident deaths to 52 amid a COVID-19 outbreak at the facility that began last month, state officials reported Thursday.
Of those deaths, 44 veteran residents have tested positive for COVID-19, and 97 residents and 81 employees have tested positive overall. Another 75 veterans residents have tested negative for the virus, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.
An emergency incident command team continues to respond to the outbreak at the facility with continued assistance from the Massachusetts National Guard. The team is enforcing quarantine zones and use of personal protective equipment (PPE), monitoring the facility’s supplies, and ensuring increased disinfection protocols, according to the state agency.
“Infection control experts from the Department of Public Health worked with the Nursing and Infection Control team to complete PPE proper use education with staff, and moving forward, a nursing executive consultant that was brought on board this week will be leading this effort,” the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement. “The Holyoke Soldiers’ Home is closely tracking personal protective equipment … and an additional 2,000 gowns were delivered today from the Department of Public Health.”
Expedited testing of veteran residents continues through a partnership with Holyoke Medical Center and Baystate Health, state officials said, and the residents are being moved accordingly while social distancing continues to be urged among veteran residents and staff.
The latest news at the Soldiers’ Home comes as the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported 2,263 new cases of confirmed COVID-19 infections on Thursday and 137 new deaths. The statewide total is now at 32,181 cases and 1,245 deaths.
To date, the state has reported 248 cases in Hampshire County, 170 cases in Franklin County and 1,985 cases in Hampden County. There were no new COVID-19 deaths reported in Hampshire or Franklin counties on Thursday, and 10 deaths in Hampden County.
In the Gazette’s coverage area, Holyoke had the highest number of COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday, at 305. Northampton had 59, Amherst 11, Easthampton 26, South Hadley 38, Hadley 15, Belchertown 25, Granby 12, Southampton 19 and Ware 10. All other Hampshire County communities had fewer than 10. The state will update these numbers for cities and towns weekly.
Cooley Dickinson Hospital reported on Thursday that it is treating nine inpatients with confirmed COVID-19 infection, five of whom are in the intensive care unit.
Another 47 patients are under investigation for COVID-19 infection, including one inpatient. The hospital has had 167 people test positive to date.
Baystate Health is treating 148 inpatients for confirmed COVID-19 infection across all of its hospitals, including 27 patients in critical care units. Among those hospitalized, 132 are at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, including all of the patients in critical care units.
Nine inpatients are under investigation for COVID-19 infection, eight of whom are at the Springfield hospital.
More than two-thirds of patients have been discharged or never required hospitalization, according to Baystate Health spokeswoman Shelly Hazlett, and the hospital is in a “plateau” position on the curve.
“This is very good news,” Hazlett said. “We must also remember that COVID-19 will continue to cause illness in our communities for the foreseeable future, even as we continue to be successful in containing the level of ‘surge.’”
Jacquelyn Voghel can be reached at jvoghel@gazettenet.com.