Fresno nursing home one of deadliest for COVID-19. Visalia home worst in state for deaths

Jun. 3--Eight more patients have died from COVID-19 in a skilled nursing facility in Fresno, making it one of the deadliest nursing home outbreaks for the coronavirus pandemic in the central San Joaquin Valley and California.

State data shows there have been 22 coronavirus-related patient deaths at Dycora Transitional Health & Living, Fresno -- an increase from 14 total deaths reported the week before.

The only nursing home in the region with more coronavirus deaths is Redwood Springs Healthcare Center in Visalia, with 29 deaths. No other skilled nursing facility in California has more reported patient deaths than Redwood Springs.

For comparison, Dycora -- Fresno has more patient deaths than all but three skilled nursing facilities in Los Angeles County -- a county with dozens more nursing homes and a population over nine times the size of Fresno County.

The deaths at Dycora -- Fresno account for around 60% of Fresno County's 37 reported coronavirus deaths. The downtown Fresno facility near Community Regional Medical Center had 192 patients and 236 employees.

The state also reported COVID-19 deaths for the first time at Westgate Gardens Care Center in Visalia -- now the sixth nursing home in Tulare County to have patients die from coronavirus. The state only reported less than 11 patient deaths from COVID-19 at Westgate, citing privacy concerns.

In total, there are now 11 nursing homes in Fresno County and 12 in Tulare County with COVID-19.

The majority of people in Fresno and Tulare counties with COVID-19 are middle-aged, between the ages of 18 and 64.

More deaths, new facilities with cases in Clovis, Fresno, Madera

The other Tulare County facilities with less than 11 total patient deaths each: Lindsay Gardens Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility in Lindsay, Sierra Valley Rehabilitation Center in Porterville, Dinuba Healthcare in Dinuba, and Linwood Meadows Care Center in Visalia.

In Fresno County, the state reported Dycora -- Manchester in central Fresno also has less than 11 patient deaths from coronavirus. A Dycora spokesperson on Tuesday said Dycora -- Manchester has had two COVID-19 deaths, and that Dycora -- Fresno has had 21 deaths -- one fewer than the state reported.

It's unclear why its number differs from the state, but state nursing home data also includes patients who have died at other locations within 14 days of leaving a facility.

Madera County has its first skilled nursing facility with coronavirus: Less than 11 health care workers infected at Madera Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Madera.

In Fresno County, there are two new facilities with cases: Oakwood Gardens Care Center in Fresno (less than 11 patients and less than 11 health care workers) and Willow Creek Healthcare Center in Clovis (less than 11 workers).

Counties share little data about nursing homes

Fresno and Tulare county health officials have not responded to recent Bee questions, including whether there is a county policy about how to address coronavirus in nursing homes, facility requirements and quantities of personal protective equipment and tests provided.

County officials previously talked generally about investigating cases and helping provide protective equipment and testing -- which has varied by county and facility. The state last month recommended widespread COVID-19 testing at all skilled nursing facilities.

Tulare County has in the past provided specific case numbers and death counts by facility. Fresno County announced coronavirus at some Dycora facilities in April, then confirmed a couple COVID-19 deaths last month were nursing home residents but without naming facilities.

A Dycora spokesperson on Tuesday expressed remorse for Fresno patients who have died from COVID-19, and said Dycora is "aggressively implementing best practices for clinical care and infection control, conducting comprehensive testing and providing communication to residents, their responsible parties and our employees."

The state reported 1,807 patient deaths at skilled nursing facilities as of Monday -- about 42% of all coronavirus deaths in California.

Coronavirus at skilled nursing facilities still growing

Other facilities in Fresno County to see coronavirus increases since last week: Three more patients ill at Dycora -- Fresno (92 total patients) and six more patients with COVID-19 at Dycora -- Manchester (19 total), the state reported.

Recent increases in Tulare County: Eight more patients with COVID-19 at Linwood Meadows Care Center in Visalia (26 total patients with the virus) and six more patients at Sierra Valley Rehabilitation Center in Porterville (75 total patients).

Cases have not grown since last week at several other Tulare County facilities, according to the state. The biggest to not show a change is Redwood Springs, with 117 total patients with COVID-19 (less than 11 currently positive) and 66 total workers.

Elsewhere in the Valley, Merced County also has two skilled nursing facilities with COVID-19 and Kern County has six. The biggest Kern County outbreak is at Kingston Healthcare Center in Bakersfield (18 patient deaths, and 83 patients and 54 health care workers with the virus).

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