May 12, 2020

Two test positive for COVID-19 at nursing home, hospital

By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor

The number of active COVID-19 cases in McKenzie County increased to four this past week after a resident at the Good Shepherd Home, as well as a hospital staff member at the McKenzie County Healthcare Systems, Inc. tested positive for the virus.
According to Michael Curtis, McKenzie County Healthcare Systems chief operating officer, the two individuals who tested positive were both asymptomatic. They were discovered when 220 employees and residents of the facility were tested as part of a facility-wide testing on Sunday, May 3.
“The resident did not, and currently does not, have any symptoms of COVID-19,” states Curtis. “All other Good Shepherd Home and Horizon residents tested negative.”
Curtis says that the resident was moved into the system’s isolation ward, which is a locked unit separate from the Good Shepherd Home. The hospital staff member was instructed to self-quarantine at home, as was two other staff members who Curtis says were identified as being at high risk of exposure.
“We had the system in place to deal with the resident and to take appropriate action to protect our other residents and staff,” states Curtis.

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