BOZRAH, Conn. — A coronavirus outbreak at a Colchester nursing home has prompted the deployment of a rapid response team from the state Department of Public Health.
There have been 46 residents and 11 staff members of the Harrington Court Nursing home who have tested positive for the virus since last week.
The CT DPH was notified by the facility on September 16 a resident tested positive for COVID-19. By September 19, five more patients and three staff members tested positive for the virus.
Surveyors from the CT DPH found in their inspection on September 18, "several infection control deficiencies.
There have been six follow-up surveys and more infection control issues with the nursing home were found. The Health Department is conducting rapid tests of all residents and staff using one of its mobile testing units.
Harrington Court, which is owned by Genesis Health Care, houses more than 80 residents.
Some of the residents who tested positive have been moved to another Genesis facility, the Quinnipiac Valley Center in Wallingford.
First Selectman Mary Bylone said in a video update Wednesday night that Colchester's COVID-19 numbers have jumped quite a bit, more than doubled.
The town is now recording at least 97 overall cases and four related deaths. The recent spike mainly has to do with the Harrington Court cases, Bylone said.
According to the First Selectman, there are probably another 20 people within the town have tested positive from the weekend to Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the CT DPH said it is important to note there is a higher level of "community transmission" of the virus in Eastern Connecticut as of Thursday. Recently, the City of Norwich was issued a COVID-19 Alert by the CT DPH.