Death Toll Rises in PA Veterans Homes

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

The death toll from the Coronavirus has climbed to 69 in six nursing homes for veterans run by the state of Pennsylvania and only one of the six has avoided any deaths.
Data supplied today by a spokeswoman for the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs show that in addition to the 42 deaths already disclosed at a Chester County facility Covid-19 deaths have occurred in state run homes from Erie to Pittsburg to Philadelphia.
Joan Nissley, the agency spokeswoman said 13 residents at the Delaware Valley Veterans Center died from the virus while nine died at the veterans center in Hollidaysburg.
Three died at the Southwestern Veterans Center in Pittsburgh while two died from the virus at the Pennsylvania Soldiers and Sailors Veterans Center in Erie.
Only the Gino J. Merli Veterans Center in Scranton has avoided any Covid-19 deaths "We take every case of COVID-19 very seriously as our No. 1 priority is the health and safety of our residents and the staff who serve them," Nissley said.
She noted taken since the pandemic began a number of steps have been taken to improve safety including restricting visitors, cancelling outings, discontinuing group activities, ceasing the use of volunteers, conducting daily health screenings for employees, more frequent cleaning of commonly touched objects, and putting new admissions on hold.
She also cited the fact that inspections at all the facilties by state Health Department surveyors found them in compliance with state and federal Covid-19 requirements. Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com