SCH test all residents, staff at personal care homes

Stephens County Hospital has announced that one of its employees has tested positive for COVID-19.

On Tuesday, June 16, Stephens County Hospital announced that they have received confirmation that an employee at the Clary Care Center has tested positive for COVID-19.

According to Stephens County Hospital Chief Executive Officer Mike Hester, that employee is on quarantine at home and will not be returning to work until they test negative for the virus.

Out of caution, Hester says, the hospital has since tested all residents and employees at its personal care homes.

In total, 85 residents were tested, with three from the Clary Care Center and two from the Wilkinson Center testing positive.

Of the 51 employees who were tested, one tested positive for COVID-19.

At this time, those who tested positive from the personal care homes are not showing any signs of illness.

Hester says no visitors are allowed at either facility—the Clary Care Center and the Wilkinson Center—and all residents are isolated to prevent the virus from being spread any further.

All staff are wearing full protective equipment and are strictly following CDC guidelines for infection prevention.

To date, Stephens County Hospital and its other facilities have tested 1,470 individuals for the virus.

Of those, 155 tests have come back positive with 122 patients receiving positive results, 1,241 received negative results, and 74 individuals are still awaiting their results.

According to hospital staff, of those 122 who have tested positive at Stephens County Hospital and its facilities, 108 have now fully recovered from COVID-19.

Additionally, there is one patient currently hospitalized at Stephens County Hospital with a confirmed case of COVID-19, and one other who is awaiting results.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Georgia Department of Public Health is reporting 160 cases of COVID-19 in Stephens County with 5 dying as a result of complications from the virus which is one less in number from both categories reported Wednesday.