NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed the St. Joseph living facility in Harahan as the state's 11th coronavirus cluster Saturday.
Including St. Joseph, three additional clusters were identified Saturday.
The information about clusters was released around the same time as the state reported its highest single-day increase in confirmed coronavirus cases.
St. Joseph was identified by WWL-TV Friday as a potential cluster after reports of multiple coronavirus cases in the facility caused state health officials to descend on the nursing home to investigate it.
Since the coronavirus outbreak began on March 9, LDH has identified these nursing homes, independent living facilities or assisted living facilities as places where multiple cases of coronavirus that appear to be connected have been confirmed:
- Chateau De Notre Dame
- Chateau D'Ville
- Chateau St. James
- Good Samaritan, New Orleans
- Lambeth House
- Luling Living Center
- Nouveau Marc
- River Palms Nursing and Rehab
- St. James Place
- St. Joseph of Harahan
- Vista Shores
At least five ambulances rolled into St. Joseph's parking lot Friday, collecting patients. Two trucks bearing logos for a commercial cleaning company spent hours in the parking lot.
Someone with knowledge of what’s going on inside told WWL-TV Friday there are multiple cases of COVID-19, and family members say they haven’t heard a word from the administrator.
Shaking and visibly distraught, one woman came to check on her 94-year-old mother but was not allowed inside.
“I don’t know what to think. I don’t know what to think anymore. I don’t know what to think. I don’t know who to trust,” said the woman, who did not want to use her name.
She had no idea there was a single COVID-19 case at St. Joseph until she heard during a live press conference that someone here had died.
“I’m her daughter. I’m family. I’m blood. Why, why, why was I never notified?” she said.
Another family tells Eyewitness News that their loved one, Gus, who lives at the facility, tested positive for coronavirus. They were not notified of his illness until after he had arrived at the hospital last week.
At least one person from St. Joseph has died from coronavirus, and the state has confirmed at least 11 deaths connected to Lambeth house since the outbreak began.
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