A female in her 70s who was a patient at Sundale Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care facility in Morgantown has tested positive for the novel coronavirus and is being treated at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital.
Carl Shrader, Sundale medical director who is also a WVU Medicine physician, said Monday the woman’s temperature spiked early Sunday morning and she was having some respiratory distress — two COVID-19 symptoms.
The woman, who was in a private room, was taken to Ruby 3:30 a.m. Sunday and was tested for the virus. Positive test results were made available at 4 p.m. Sunday, making her the second confirmed COVID-19 case in Monongalia County.
A spokesperson for WVU Medicine declined to say how the Sundale patient is being treated at Ruby and referred comment to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services.
“We treat all in need of care and hospital services. We cannot comment on specific patients, but be reassured that Mon Health Medical Center is prepared for care needs presented by anyone especially now in our current pandemic,” said Dr. Mary Edwards, vice president of Medical Affairs at Mon Health Medical Center.
Gov. Jim Justice called in the West Virginia National Guard in Morgantown to test roughly 40 people, a mix of Sundale staff and patients. Twenty patients were in the unit with the patient, he said. That testing wrapped up Monday afternoon. Sundale currently has 91 patients
“Families have been notified as has staff,” Shrader said.
One family told The Dominion Post they learned of the case through news reports Monday afternoon.
Four people from Sundale were admitted to Ruby, while two are in Mon Health as a result of the positive case. Only the original case has been confirmed so far.
Because of the outbreak of the virus, visitation restrictions have been imposed at both hospitals.
Sundale employees with contact with the individual were told to self-quarantine until test results can be returned to them.
Sundale, like many area nursing homes in northcentral West Virginia, had implemented Centers for Disease Control guidelines for nursing homes, including eliminating group activities, communal dining and visitation. According to its website, Sundale is restricting visitors until further notice except in end-of-life situations.
To date, 16 people have tested positive for the virus in West Virginia out of a total of 444 tests, according to the CDC. The results of four tests are pending.
Justice has also ordered a statewide closure of all non-essential businesses.
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