The Career Clinic, located in the Belle Made section of Montgomery Township, had a Covid-19 outbreak that affected at least 53 people.
The clinic’s 30 staff and 23 patients tested positive for COVID-19.
The Career Clinic is a specialized behavioral health facility owned by Hackensack Meridian Health. Officials said a comprehensive test of staff members was conducted after a handful of cases were discovered at the clinic earlier this week, which revealed many more cases among asymmetrical and pre-clinical staff and patients.
Hacknessak Meridian Health has closed the affected unit and relocated patients to other locations with medical isolation facilities. COVID-19 positive staff members are isolated in their homes, officials said.
Montgomery Health Officer Stephanie Carey said: “The epidemic is worrisome, in a vulnerable population that suffers from social isolation, but it’s not surprising, as case rates in New Jersey are rising rapidly.” “The second wave is upon us and we all have to do everything in our power to keep masking, keep distance and stay away from big gatherings.”
Representatives from Montgomery’s health department met with the carrier’s leadership to verify that the clinic had implemented the New Jersey Department of Health Infection Control Protocol and that Hackensack Meridian Health was providing the resources needed to prevent the outbreak.
In a statement to the press, representatives of Hackness Ensic Meridian Health said the company was monitoring the spread of the COVID-19 community throughout its facilities across New Jersey, including the Career Clinic.
“The cluster is currently limited to two units and affects 23 patients and 30 team members,” the press statement read. “Patients who have tested positive are being transferred to another Hackensack Meridian Health Hospitals, where they will receive integrated care for COVID-19 and their behavioral health problems. In addition, team members who tested positive are in self-quarantine. “
Hacknessck Meridian health officials said the company is following protocols established by the CDC and the New Jersey Department of Health. “Specialists from the network’s clinical teams and infectious disease teams are monitoring the situation,” the press release read. The steps include the following:
- Increase testing of all patients and team members.
- Extensive team member screening on campus entry. If there is a problem, the employee is instructed to report occupational health immediately and not to come to work.
- Positive testing team members are required to self-quarantine for 10 days. If team members are symptomatic, they are prohibited from working and cannot return unless they have a negative COVID test.
- The network conducts strict contact tracing so that if team members come in contact with a team member who is positive, they must also self-quarantine until a negative COVID test is performed.
- Intensive cleaning of all facilities and treatment areas.
- Rotate daily by infectious disease specialists to ensure compliance with all state and federal health protocols.
- Eliminate individual visits to reduce the number of visitors outside the facilities. Visitors can connect via Televisit.
According to the Montgomery Health Department, none of the positive staff or patients are considered to be Montgomery residents, and residents and carrier staff in the municipality are not contacted. The facility draws staff and patients from a wide geographical area.
Because carrier cases do not include Montgomery residents, the case is not included in the KOVID-19 statistics, which are regularly reported by the Montgomery Township Health Department. That number is also growing. In November, Montgomery logged 30 new COVID-19 cases by November 13. The township reported a total of 26 new cases in the week ending October 30, with its highest COVID-19 positive tests in a single week.
