SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) –

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department announced another death tied to a nursing facility.

Health leaders say the victim is in his 70s. He suffered from underlying health conditions. The county reports 14 deaths from COVID-19 in August, bringing the total since the pandemic to 25.

Long-term care in Greene County

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department works closely alongside the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and with local long-term care facilities to assist with testing, secure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and to provide guidance on best practices for disease prevention and containment in an institutional setting.

While it is ultimately DHSS that has the regulatory authority, responsibility and oversight of communicable disease containment in long-term care setting, local public health departments are a partner in serving as a liaison to support the state’s disease prevention strategy. This strategy includes facility-wide testing of staff and residents after a positive test of either a resident or staff, and repeated testing until there are no additional cases.

Long-term care facilities are required to report a positive case among staff or residents to DHSS within 24 hours so guidance can be provided on comprehensive testing, isolation and quarantine instructions, personal protective equipment and staffing. State guidance for long-term care facilities can be found here.

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