50 Nursing Home Patients Test Positive For Coronavirus In Anaheim

ANAHEIM, CA —Almost 50 of the patients and employees of a skilled nursing facility in Anaheim have contracted coronavirus. Two of them have died, according to the city's chief communications officer.

Anaheim Healthcare Center is all but under attack from an invisible enemy, Friday. Out of 200 patients who live at the facility, 50 have tested positive for coronavirus. Staff at the nursing home have also tested positive, according to Mike Lyster, communications officer for the city of Anaheim.

Two of the sickened patients, both in their 70s with underlying health issues, died this week, according to Lyster. The embattled nursing center has erected plastic barriers, creating an isolation wing for the 33 patients who are still at the center. If needed, they will be transported to area hospitals, Lyster says.

"The best scenario is to shelter in place and care for them," he said, adding that only if it was "really necessary would we transport them."

In Orange County, four other skilled nursing facilities have had over two cases of coronavirus in the past two weeks, according to Orange County Health Care officials. One, in Huntington Beach, reported 74 people, 48 patients, and 24 employees, infected with the COVID-19 disease. Two residents at that facility both also died.

Six more nursing homes in the county have reported at least one case of coronavirus.

City News Service, Patch Staffer Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.

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