The Springfield-Greene County Health Department is reporting two more deaths from COVID-19, both people who lived at long term care facilities.

Health officials say one was a woman in her 60s, the other a man in his 80s, both with underlying health conditions.

There have 13 deaths in Greene County this month, 24 overall.

Below is a press release from the Springfield-Greene County Health Department…

“The Springfield-Greene County Health Department is heartbroken to announce the deaths of two Greene County residents from COVID-19. Both were associated with long-term care.

Our community lost a man in his 80s and a woman in her 60s. Both had underlying health conditions.

The Health Department extends our condolences to loved ones at this tragic time.

Long-term care facilities are required by the state to notify the families of all residents when there is a positive case in the facility as well as when a death occurs.

Institutional settings, like long-term care, are environments where a respiratory illness can easily spread. This can be especially devastating in a long-term care facility, where residents are more susceptible to disease.

There have been 13 deaths from COVID-19 in August. A total of 24 Greene County residents have died from COVID-19.

Long-term care in Greene County

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department has worked 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.”