CHANDLER, Ariz. — Thirteen people living at a Chandler assisted living facility have died from complications related to COVID-19, according to the facility.
Pennington Gardens confirmed 15 more residents tested positive for the virus and are in isolation.
The facility told 12 News on April 7 that four residents and one employee tested COVID-19 positive. As of Saturday, 27 of their residents had tested positive in total, and 12 of those people had died, according to communication sent to residents' families. An additional resident died between Saturday and today.
Five employees have recovered, and some residents are also showing signs of recovery, a spokesperson for Pennington Gardens said Tuesday.
"We have had adequate PPE on hand and regularly provide employees training on its use," a statement from Pennington Gardens said.
All the people who tested positive are in the facility's assisted living community. The memory care community has not been affected, Pennington Gardens said.
Long-term care facilities across the country are facing similar problems, as people at the highest risk for severe complications from COVID-19 live in communal settings.
“They’re living in a petri dish,” said John Scanlan, whose wife lives in Pennington Gardens.
Some of the biggest outbreaks since have included 55 deaths at a nursing home in New York City's Brooklyn borough, 49 at a home outside Richmond, Virginia, 48 at a veteran's home in Holyoke, Mass., and at least 40 deaths each at five homes in outer boroughs of New York City.
In Maricopa County, 75 long-term care facilities have had at least one resident or staff member test positive for the coronavirus as of Tuesday.
If you have a loved one in a long-term care facility, the county and AARP have recommended asking the facility about COVID-19 cases and what’s being done to keep residents safe.
A list of questions AARP put together for loved ones to ask can be found here.
