KCK rehab facility sees startling rise in COVID-19 cases, deaths

A Kansas City, Kansas, rehabilitation facility reported a shocking rise in the number of COVID-19 cases they are dealing with Friday.

NOW AT SIX --A STUNNING NEW SURGEIN COVID-19 CASES AT AK-C-K NURSING HOME.MORE THAN HALF THEPEOPLE THERE ALREAHAVE IT.A TOTAL OF 84 RESIDENTSWITH CONFIRMED CASES...AND SO FAR EIGHT STAFFMEMBERS HAVE ALSOTESTED POSITIV41 ACTION NEWSINVESTIGATOR ANDYALCOCK TALKED WITH AWOMAN WHO WORKEDTHERE -- WHO LEFT AS THEVIRUS STARTED TOSPREAD.IT MAY BE THE WORSKNOWN HOT SPOT FORCOVID-19 IN THE ENTIREMETRO.WE SPOKE TO A CERTIFIEDNURSE ASSISTANT WHO'LAST SHIFT AT THERIVERBEND POST ACUTEREHAB CENTER WASWEDNESDAY APRIL 1ST.THAT DAY, SHE WAS TOLDONE OF HER PATIENTS'TESTS CAME BACKPOSITIVE FCORONAVIRUS.CONCERNED ABOUT ANOUTBREAK, SHE DECIDEDTHAT DAY WOULD BE THELAST ONE SHE'D WORKTHERE DURING THEPANDEMIC."I DIDN'T WANT TO RISKBRINGING IT INTO MYHOUSE."IT'S VERY DIFFICULT IN ARESIDENTIAL SITUATIOWHERE PEOPLE ARECONGREGATINGDOCTOR SHARON LEECURRENTLY RUNS A KCKDRIVE UP TESTINGFACILITY.THE NURSING HOME ISN'TTHE FIRST KCK HOT SPOT.ON FRIDAY, LEE TOLTHREE MEMBERS OF THEMIRACLE TEMPLE CHURCHOF GOD IN CHRIST THEYTESTED POSITIVE FORCOVID-19.AT LST 8 PEOPLE FROMTHAT CHURCH HAVEALREADY DIED.THE RIVERBEND NURSEASSISTANT HAS BEEN INSELF-ISOLATION SINCELAST WEEK WITHOUT ANYSYMPTOMS...AND ALSOSTOPPED HER OTHERJOB...MAKING LUNCHFOR KCK SCHOOLCHILDREN.ACCORDING TO ACTIVISTJANICE WITT, SHE'S ONEOF THREE RIVERBENDWORKERS TO CONTACTHER AND WHO'VE ALSOMADE SCHOOL LUNCHES.SO FAR, THE NURSEASSISTANT SAYS THEWYANDOTTE COUNHEALTH DEPARTMENTHASN'T CONTACTED HER."I WANT TO BE TESTED,JUST TO BE ON THE SAFESIDE."SHARON LEE"IF SHE HASN'T BEENCALLED, I WOULD SAYPROBABLY BECAUSE SHEAT A LOWER RISK THANTHE PEOPLE THEY ARCALLING."SO FAR EIGHT RIVERBENDSTAFF MEMBERS HAVETESTED POSITIVE ANDMORE TEST RESULTS AREPENDING.THE WYANDOTTE COUNTYHEALTH DEPARTMENTALSO REPORTSRIVERBEND IS NOW SHORTON STAFF SO THE AGENCYIS LOOKING FORVOLUNTEER NURSING ANDSTAFF HELP.I'M INVESTIGATOR ANDALCOCK, 41 ACTION NEWS.WITHIN THE LAST FEWMOMENTS WE HEARDBACK FROM A K-C-KSCHOOLS SPOKESWOMAN-- WHO DECLINEDCOMMENT ON THAT STORY.HEALTH DEPARTMENTWORKERS IN THE COUNTYARE TAKING STEPS TO GETTHE FACILITY CLEAN -- ANTHE SITUATION UNDERCONTROL.OFFICIALS ARE SHEDDINGLIGHT ON WHEN -- ANDWHY -- THE VIRUS SPREADAT THE FACILITY...Dr. K.

Allen Griner"we believe this cluster ofcases roseduring an incubation period whindividuals had no idea thattheywere infected and because of theclose quarters there and theconditions of the individualsthere itspread rapid