According to Fort Bragg’s Sherwood Oaks Health Center Administrator Will Maloney, a resident of the facility who had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus passed away the evening of Thursday, July 16, 2020. He explained, “We cannot say for certain he passed away from complications related to the virus at this point because we have to wait for the death certificate to be completed.”
This news comes the day Mendocino County Public Health announced new restrictions to businesses due to a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases.
Administrator Maloney said at this point, four staff members of the facility tested positive for the virus and are on-leave and being monitored by Mendocino County Public Health. He also said there are four residents of the facility that are isolated and being treated for the virus along with five other residents that are isolated and being monitored because they were in close proximity to the confirmed four cases.
Three nurses are currently dedicated to the facility’s COVID-19 unit, says Administrator Maloney. He said that when they are not at work, they are isolating at home. Remarkably, these three staff members dedicated to the patients with COVID-19 have not tested positive for the virus, Administrator Maloney revealed. He attributed their health to the long sleeve shirts, hospital gowns, aprons, N95 masks, face shields, gloves, and following best practices to their ability to not get infected by the virus.
According to Administrator Maloney, the County has been sending test kits to the facility where his staff then swabs the patients, the County picks up the samples and then analyzes them. He said the usual processing time of the tests was 48-72 hours which he deemed as pretty quick.
Administrator Maloney said, “My staff is working hard and diligently to stop the progression of the virus and protect our staff and residents.”
