Residents, employees have tested positive for COVID-19 at Wichita
Two essential health care workers and 15 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 at Wichita Presbyterian Manor.
Four independent living residents and 11 health care residents have tested positive for COVID-19 through testing at the campus this week. Visitation has been suspended for independent living residents and visitation continues to be suspended in the health care center, which includes short-term rehabilitation.
One employee tested positive September 12. The employee last worked September 8, passing pre-shift screening and wearing personal protective equipment as required. The employee reported not feeling well after leaving work and sought medical attention. As a precaution, the employee completed a rapid point-of-care (POC) test, which was negative. On Sunday, September 12, the employee contacted their supervisor and requested another POC test, which was positive.
In addition, one essential health care worker who previously tested positive for COVID-19 has tested positive for the virus a second time. The employee is asymptomatic and has been working in the COVID-19 unit. The Sedgwick County Health Department has been notified and the employee may continue to work in the COVID-19 unit as long as the employee remains asymptomatic.
The Sedgwick County Health Department and KDHE’s Epidemiology Hotline have been notified. These cases bring the total at the community to 17 for the week and 20 since September 7. Residents in independent living and the health care center will be tested again on Monday, September 20. Employee surveillance testing will continue next week as required by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Health care residents are being cared for by designated staff who are following Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for infection control and prevention and physician’s orders.
COVID-positive residents will remain in isolation until they meet the KDHE and CDC guidelines for ending isolation. Under current guidelines, residents may leave isolation when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and the individual’s symptoms have improved and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Asymptomatic positive residents will quarantine for at least 10 days.
“We continue to follow all guidance related to patient care, employee safety, and efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19, as provided by KDHE, CMS, and the CDC. We are working closely with Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s infection preventionist and vice president for health and wellness, in implementing our Emergent Infectious Disease (EID) Outbreak Management Plan,” said Courtney Wolfe, executive director.
PMMA strongly encourages residents’ families, employees and residents to carefully consider obtaining a vaccine for themselves as well as their loved ones. Every person who receives the vaccine will strengthen the protection for all residents, staff and the community at-large.
For more information about Wichita Presbyterian Manor’s response, go to PMMA’s (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s) website, presbyterianmanors.org/media-room.
