By Michelle Price
Special to the UCBJ
ALGOOD – Putnam County’s three COVID-19 deaths can all be traced back to the Signature HealthCARE outbreak. Although the state’s numbers for Putnam County only show two deaths, all three took place between April 11-14 while the patients were at the facility.
The first patient passed away on April 11. Another passed on April 12, and the third on April 14. One of those patients was asymptomatic.
“Signature HealthCARE of Putnam is deeply saddened by these three losses. Our residents are like family to us, and the passing of any one of them is devastating,” said Signature Media/PR/Communications Manager Ann Bowdan Wilder in a statement released this morning.
As of today, 30 residents have tested positive for COVID-19, and 15 staff members tested positive and will not be allowed to return to work without special and verified medical clearance.
Wilder acknowledged that Signature was finding hope in the encouraging news that on April 15, two patients who have been in Signature’s COVID-19-only unit have recovered, receiving two negative tests and being removed from the unit. One returned to their unit at Signature, and the other went home with family today.
Eight other patients have not had symptoms in over seven days and have been retested to determine if they have recovered.
