PORTLAND, Ore. — Seventeen people at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center have tested positive for COVID-19, the Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System confirmed Sunday.
The center learned of the new cases last week. All 17, which involve three patients, 13 staff members and one medical trainee, originated at one of the center's medical/surgical inpatient units.
Officials said one employee was hospitalized but has since been discharged and is recovering at home. Two of the three patients have been discharged.
As a precaution, the medical center isn't accepting ambulances to its emergency department or accepting inpatient transfers from other facilities.
Officials also said they're holding off and reconsidering plans to increase outpatient procedures until the situation is resolved.
The Portland VA Medical Center has also taken the following precautions:
- Most staff members and other personnel who have had contact with the involved patients have been tested, and they're working to test those who remain untested. Currently, about 200 people have been tested for this cluster of cases.
- The VA Medical Center has undergone a thorough review of safety precautions and operation procedures related to the use of personal protection equipment (PPE), patient flow, staff rotations and patient care.
- Impacted areas are being deep-cleaned and treated with UV irradiation equipment.
- All patients and visitors entering VA Portland facilities will continue to be required to wear a cloth face covering or a procedure mask during any interactions with staff.
