An outbreak of the Covid-19 virus in Our Lady of Peace nursing home in Lewiston has claimed seven residents' lives recently, the facility's owners confirmed Thursday.
The deaths brought the facility's total to 12 since the pandemic began, according to the state Health Department.
Twenty-four residents and 11 employees have tested positive for the virus, according to Molly Gaus, vice president of marketing and communications for Ascension Living, the St. Louis-based owner of the 250-bed nursing home.
The outbreak was first reported by the Niagara Gazette.
"Our hearts break for the seven residents who suffered from Covid at the time of their recent passing," Gaus said in an email to The Buffalo News.
"Any residents with a positive test or who are symptomatic are being isolated in a designated nursing unit and treated in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid and New York State Department of Health," Gaus wrote.
"Those residents are cared for by specially trained healthcare personnel within the community. Residents who do not have symptoms related to Covid-19 or tested negatively are treated in a separate part of the building and are cared for by a different designated team to mitigate any possible exposure to Covid-19. We continue to follow required CDC, CMS and NYSDOH guidelines and will continue to implement ways to keep our residents and associates safe," Gaus' email said.
"The health and safety of our residents and associates continues to be our first priority. Every action and measure we put in place at Ascension Living Our Lady of Peace reflects our commitment to protecting people who are at higher risk for adverse health complications," Gaus also wrote.
The state listed six Covid-19 deaths in Our Lady of Peace as far back as mid-June, meaning its total has risen by six since then.
