3 Dead, 36 Hospitalized For Coronavirus At Seminole Nursing Home

SEMINOLE, FL — Three elderly people at the Seminole Rehabilitation & Nursing Service at Freedom Square have died after testing positive for the coronavirus.

Freedom Square Executive Director Michael Mason made the announcement on Friday after the nursing facility transported 95 people to the hospital.

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Mason said a 74-year-old man died on April 11, and a 66-year-old man and an 84-year-old woman died Friday. The first case confirmed at the facility was on April 9.

“We extend our sincere condolences to the families and patients of these patients and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this difficult time,” Mason said.

He said the 95 patients at the nursing and rehabilitation center on the campus of Freedom Square have been transferred out of the facility. Thirty-six of those transferred tested positive for the coronavirus, 53 tested negative and six results are pending.

Those who tested positive were taken by ambulance to three area hospitals. Those who tested negative were brought to a floor at Bayfront Hospital for patients without the coronavirus.

“Over this past week, Freedom Square began an orderly and voluntary transfer of Seminole Pavilion Rehabilitation patients who were asymptomatic but potentially exposed, symptomatic or who had confirmed cases of COVID-19 to three local hospitals for treatment and monitoring,” said Mason.

He said the patients were transported to the hospitals with the help of the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County, Pinellas County Emergency Medical Services, HCA Healthcare and BayCare Health System, noting “this unprecedented move is a remarkable testament to the collaborative spirit."

Mason said Freedom Square, which includes memory care, assisted living and independent living facilities along with the skilled nursing care and rehabilitation center, has been following all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines since February.

“Implemented protocols include wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment and conducting temperature checks with employees multiple times during their shifts," he said.

He added that Freedom Square hired a professional cleaning service to disinfect the facilities and will be testing all residents and employees for the coronavirus.

“This is a difficult and challenging time as our community and state work to contain the spread of COVID-19,” he said. “As a senior living community, our priority is to protect the health and safety of our patients, residents and employees.”

Mason's statements about adhering to CDC and state guidelines are backed up on Freedom Square's Facebook page, which shows photos of employees wearing face masks and handing out treats to keep the residents' spirits up; residents holding signs with messages to their loved ones who aren't permitted to visit them; relatives standing outside the facility holding signs to let the residents know they're thinking about them; and residents communicating with their families using Skype on the facility's computers.

Additionally, Freedom Square's in-house television channel began offering exercise programs and virtual tours. All meals were served in rooms rather than in a communal dining hall.

Nevertheless, outbreaks like the one experienced at Freedom Square is just what Gov. Ron DeSantis said he feared when he ordered that all Florida nursing facilities be locked down on March 15.

"In a nursing home situation, even if you don't have a major outbreak, it only takes a couple cases before that really has a big impact on what's going on there," said DeSantis during his Wednesday news conference.

To date, 60 residents and staff at long-term care facilities in Pinellas County have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the Florida Department of Health, the largest number of nursing home cases in Tampa Bay.

Across Florida, there have been 1,332 coronavirus cases in residents and staff in nursing facilities.

Florida has more than 700 nursing homes and more than 3,000 assisted living facilities.

On Monday, DeSantis announced plans to use members of the Florida National Guard to assist with conducting coronavirus tests at nursing facilities around Florida.

DeSantis said he's already deployed National Guard members to 93 facilities where residents have tested positive for the virus. He said he plans to send four-person "strike teams" to hundreds of additional facilities in an attempt to identify asymptomatic carriers that may be infecting vulnerable nursing home residents.

“We don’t know how many people are asymptomatic with it, and we don’t know what percentage of the spreaders are asymptomatic,’’ he said.

He said, while long-term care facilities may be following guidelines to the letter, a single asymptomatic employee can quickly infect residents who are already at risk due to compromised immune systems.

See related stories:

• To Stop Coronavirus From Decimating Nursing Homes, Steps Needed
• 6 Elderly Residents Die From Coronavirus At Long-Term Care Home