In the US state of Massachusetts care home, seventy veterans died after contracting with coronavirus respiratory disease, officials said. The nurses at the care home asserted that understaffing had contributed to the spread of the virus.
As of Thursday, the US has recorded more than one million confirmed cases of coronavirus with nearly 61,504 fatalities. Around the world, nursing homes have been badly hit by the pandemic, especially in Europe and the Americas.
However, the officials have started an investigation to probe into whether the veterans at home in Holyoke, a state-run caring home, were given proper treatment. Bennett Walsh, the superintendent of the nursing home, has been sent on administrative leave until investigation.
Walsh maintained that the state officials had been reported about the understaffing and other shortages at the nursing home; also, the coronavirus outbreak. He categorically denied any wrongdoings in his administrative work and called the accusations as “outrageous”.
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Meanwhile, the families of the veterans living in care Massachusetts care home said that the facilities and conditions there were horrific. Along with seventy confirmed coronavirus fatalities, 80 more residents and 81 staff members have tested positive of the respiratory disease.
On Wednesday, the 11 veterans who tested negative also died. The health officials said that the residents are now being tested again. The AFP reported that a lack of staff meant that one unit in a care home was shut down in response to COVID-19.
The veterans living there were sent to other parts of the care home. Not knowing that who was infected, all of them were housed together, which exuberated the outbreak.
Maura Healey, the attorney general of Massachusetts, launched an official investigation into the matter ad said that it is to determine whether the veterans received good care or there is a need for legal action.
According to the local media, the employees of the care home had been consistently complaining about the grim facilities and described this as poor handling of the crisis. The care home also put an add on social media, asking the nurses and others to join the staff.
However, the infection control staff at the care home is enforcing the use of PPEs. A total of 8 new protect equipment coaches joined this week. The outbreak in the care home is not limited or isolated. According to the reports, 22 residents have died at other veteran homes in Chelsea.
