BILLINGS – A Billings retirement and assisted living facility has completed COVID-19 testing for hundreds of residents and staff after a staff member recently contracted the virus.
St. John’s United Home Health and Hospice said in a press release issued Saturday that they have completed testing of 320 residents and staff. Two tests, one with an employee and the other with an “old man who is not a nursing home” tested positive, the center said.
An initial positive test involving a “non-direct care staff member” was identified on June 30.
The two new cases connected to the facility were from people who “had no contact with each other, raising strong suspicions that they both contracted the virus through the spread of the community,” the press release said.
The facility, located at 3940 Rimrock Rd., Will continue follow-up testing “until we have zero positive tests for two weeks.”
The announcement follows recent reports of a major COVID-19 outbreak at another Billings call center. There were 91 people who tested positive and five deaths were connected to Canyon Creek Care assisted living facilities in Billings.
“The staff at St. John’s United Home Health and Hospice have participated in Sentinel testing for the past four weeks as well as follow-up testing as they care for older people throughout the community. All tests have been negative right now, “the press release says. “As we continue to see Covid-19 spikes throughout our community, we are restricting visits at this time. The St. John’s United Incident Command Team recommends that all citizens use masking to protect each other as an alternative to returning to take refuge on site. “
.
