FLOYD COUNTY, Ind. — More than 50 residents at a transitional care facility in Floyd County have tested positive for COVID-19. Representatives with Diversicare of Providence said every resident and family member was individually contacted about the outbreak, but some family members say that’s not the case.
"I felt betrayed. I felt angry. I felt afraid for my mother,” said Tina Burnell after finding out the cluster of COVID 19 cases had emerged inside Diversicare of Providence, where her mother is currently staying.
"She's been there about three years,” said Burnell.
The feeling of betrayal, Burnell says, comes from finding out about the cases from Facebook rather than from the facility.
"We had zero knowledge of any positive cases going on at that facility, and we were not informed that they were testing all the patients."
A representative for Diversicare told WHAS on Wednesday that ‘they have been in touch with loved ones of all those who have been impacted and will continue to do so on a regular basis.'
That was after the Floyd County Health Department released a press release detailing the more than 50 positive cases.
“Certainly, that’s by far the biggest cluster of cases that we’ve had,” said Floyd County Health Officer Tom Harris.
Harris told WHAS on Thursday that the Floyd County Health Department has had multiple complaints from family members of residents that Providence had not notified them of the positive COVID-19 cases.
Diversicare has not responded to requests from WHAS for further comment on notification of families.
"It was just a slap in the face to hear it from the media,” said Burnell, adding that she spoke with her mom Wednesday morning by phone. "She had no clue. She didn't even mention she'd been tested. She's not coherent enough really to even give consent or to understand what's going on."
Burnell says she got a letter in the mail from Diversicare of Providence on Wednesday. It outlined precautions being taken due to the pandemic and staff interactions with residents, but never mentioned any positive COVID-19 cases in the facility.
"At this point honestly my prayer is just for the safety of the staff and of the residents,” said Burnell.
She said after multiple calls to the facility Wednesday night, she was told her mother had tested negative for COVID 19.
“They were in the process of separating the patients that had tested negative from the patients who were positive,” said Burnell. "We are just completely in the dark at this moment."
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