Mecklenburg County officials identify 7 care facilities with coronavirus outbreaks

CHARLOTTE — Mecklenburg County officials confirmed COVID-19 outbreaks at seven nursing facilities in the county Friday evening.

North Carolina defines an outbreak as two or more positive cases at a facility.

Officials said the facilities are Hunter Woods Nursing & Rehab Center, Huntersville Oaks, Pavillion Health Center, Autumn Care of Cornelius, The Social at Cotswold, Carrington Place Rehab & Living Center, and The Laurels.

>> Have questions about the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the Carolinas? We have an entire section dedicated to coverage of the outbreak -- CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

“Yeah, it’s where we need to go and I’m appreciative of the coverage it’s been getting from the news because really, I think it’s only reasonable that families are concerned; it’s only reasonable that communities are concerned and I think providing more information is the way to handle it,” said county commissioner Susan Harden.

Channel 9′s Joe Bruno has been pushing for this information from county officials for weeks but said they are still not saying how many cases are at each facility.

Channel 9 was able to learn more about cases at some facilities in Mecklenburg County.

On Friday, Channel 9 received a letter that said one resident at the Social at Cotswold care facility died due to COVID-19 and 14 other residents and two caregivers tested positive for the virus.

People who live there are being isolated and meals are being delivered to their rooms. We also saw people coming and going in full protective gear.

The Pavilion Health Center in Ballantyne also confirmed 11 residents and two staff members have tested positive for COVID-19.

Employees there are now wearing protective gear and are being screened when they show up for work.

Channel 9 also heard from Huntersville Oaks care facility and it didn’t say how many cases they have, but encouraged families to get in touch with them for information.

The facility also said it has a separate wing just for patients with COVID-19.

If there is a COVID-19 outbreak at a nursing home or assisted living facility, it's up to the nursing home to decide who to tell and when.

For some people, they are learning about outbreaks the hard way.

Kathy Chenette’s mother Joan was staying at Autumn Care in Cornelius after hernia surgery. Last week, when Chenette drove to the facility to drop off clothes and a walker, she was greeted by a worker in the parking lot who told her to put the items away because two people tested positive at the facility for COVID-19.

“I said, ‘Second? When did you have a first?’” Chenette said. “Nobody notified me there was a first.”

About an hour after that conversation, Chenette found out her mom’s fever skyrocketed. She got her test results back this week, and they confirmed she had the coronavirus.

“It was like a kick in the gut,” she said. “She’s got COPD, she is like a poster child for the virus, for you know, not making it really, and that’s what’s so terrifying.”

Including her mom, Chenette said there have been at least four cases of COVID-19 tied to Autumn Care in Cornelius. Autumn Care did not return requests for comment.

A spokesperson at the Char-Meck Joint Information Center reiterated the county is not confirming the name of long-term care facilities with outbreaks at this time.

>> We’ll bring you LIVE updates on Channel 9 Eyewitness News. Get extended coverage on the free WSOC Now app on Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV.

In a news conference Tuesday, Health Director Gibbie Harris said the county has been working with these places to restrict visitation and limit access so they don't pose a threat.

"If we were to have a large outbreak where we may have more concern about that, we might very well release that name," Harris said. "If we released an outbreak, we are releasing the address of individuals. That's not what we do in public health unless there is a public need to do that."

But there have been large outbreaks and the county has kept quiet.

The law doesn’t prevent Mecklenburg County from providing this information. Other neighboring counties are.

Union County notified the public about outbreaks at Monroe Rehabilitation Center and Woodridge. Rowan County informed the public about an outbreak at the Citadel. Cabarrus County told everyone about Five Oaks Rehabilitation where at least 67 people have tested positive.

Concerns from family members, staff grow as COVID-19 cases increase at local nursing facilities Concerns from family members, staff grow as COVID-19 cases increase at local nursing facilities

Former Cabarrus Health Alliance Director of 38 years William Pilkington said that’s the way it should be.

“Just as health departments share their sanitation grades for these facilities, I think they should be sharing information on outbreaks on these facilities, we’ve always done that,” he said. “When all of us are giving different information and communication styles in an environment like this, it just breeds public mistrust.”

As the daughter of an elderly woman with underlying health conditions now battling COVID-19, Chenette agrees.

"I think people should know. If you are going to put your family member in a facility you need to know people are infected in there," she said. "The whole thing has been very disheartening. I just thought she would be safe there."

Mecklenburg County defines an outbreak in a nursing home or assisted living facility as two or more laboratory-confirmed cases. A spokesperson for the county has not responded with how Harris defines “a large outbreak.”

© 2020 Cox Media Group