The families of seniors locked down at a Washington state nursing long-term care facility are worried that time is running out before their relatives fall ill.
Visitors were barred from Life Care Center in Kirkland, a suburb of Seattle, after a series of 14 coronavirus infections sprang up at the home.
Children and spouses of the nursing home’s residents say that staff are keeping the elderly isolated in their rooms and checking their temperatures daily.
However, they are scared that their loved ones who show symptoms will not be tested or hospitalized until they are in serious condition.
One woman said her mother and the other residents are being ‘held hostage in a petri dish.’
As of Tuesday, there are 111 confirmed coronavirus cases in the US and six deaths. All of the deaths occurred in Washington, and four are linked to Life Care Center.
SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS
One woman says she asked for her mother, Susan Haley (left and right), who lives at Life Care Center in Kirkland, to be tested but she was denied. Haley’s daughter has described the residents as being ‘held hostage in a petri dish’
Another woman, Bonnie Halstad (pictured) said her calls went unanswered for days as she asked for news about her husband, Ken, who lives at the home
As of Tuesday, health officials say 111 people across the US have been infected with coronavirus and that six people, all in Washington state, have died
Carmen Gray, of Bothell, told CBS News that her mother, Susan Haley, is one of the patients under quarantine at LifeCare Center.
She says she asked for her mother to be tested for the virus, but was refused.
‘[They said she] did not meet the criteria at this time,’ Gray said. ‘They’re being held hostage in a petri dish.’
And Bonnie Holstad said staff is refusing to speak to her about the condition of her her husband, Ken, who is at the facility recovering from broken hip.
She says her calls to the center have gone repeatedly unanswered and she is desperate for news that he is okay after he had a cough. He also suffers from Parkinson’s disease and dementia.
Holstad stood outside the facility on Sunday with a sign saying: ‘No one at Life Care is answering the phones. He needs to be attended to…what is his temperature?’
She told CNN that, after she protested, a nurse did then check on him and told her he doesn’t have a fever.
‘I was so angry. How can this be that I have to do this, make a sign and go down there?’ Holstad said.
‘I have real problems with how they’re handling the interface with family,’ and added that it was ‘sort of like a movie about an epidemic in a little town, and they don’t know how to handle the situation.’
Holstad told how she only found out about the potential outbreak in the home when she arrived for a visit on Saturday and was turned away by a sign on the door saying no visitors allowed.
Families are worried about their loved ones at Life Care Center of Kirkland, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Washington. Pictured: Healthcare workers transfer a patient on a stretcher to an ambulance at the Life Care Center, March 1
Children and spouses of the nursing home’s residents say that staff are keeping the elderly isolated in their rooms and checking their temperatures daily but not testing them for the virus. Pictured: Healthcare workers transfer a patient on a stretcher to an ambulance at the Lifeare Center, March 1
Heath officials in Washington say they expect to see more cases of coronavirus than of the flu. Pictured: A staff member from LifeCare Center blocks the view as a person is taken by a stretcher to a waiting ambulance
She then got a message from the center telling her about the confirmed cases.
Before then she had been told staff were wearing masks because some residents had colds.
Holstad also said her husband had not been tested for coronavirus because he doesn’t have all of the symptoms required for testing.
In Facebook post, Life Care said staff members are constantly monitoring patients for any signs of the virus.
‘Current residents and associates continue to be monitored closely, specifically for an elevated temperature, cough and/or shortness of breath,’ the post read.
‘Any resident displaying these symptoms is placed in isolation. Associates are screened prior to beginning work and upon leaving. We are also following infection control recommendations, including proper hand-washing techniques and wearing masks, gowns and gloves when caring for any symptomatic patients.’
Life Care Center of Kirkland did not immediately reply to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
At a press conference yesterday, King County Public Health Officer Jeffrey Duchin said they ‘expect the number of cases will continue to increase in the coming days and weeks.’
In fact, officials say they expect to see more cases than the flu.
‘This disease will pose a significant challenge to the healthcare delivery system across the country and across the world,’ Duchin said.
Panic has descended upon the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the US as first responders go under quarantine, schools close and a church even refuses to give out Holy Communion.
To control the spread of the virus, King County is currently moving to buy a hotel to house isolated patients.
Additionally, 25 Kirkland firefighters – one-quarter of the city’s force – and two police officers who were exposed to the virus at the facility are under quarantine.
Workers unload personal protective equipment, including goggles and gloves, at the Life Care Center of Kirkland on March 1
Northshore Community Church (pictured) refused to give out Holy Communion on Sunday and discouraged parishioners from hugging or shaking hands
Several schools have closed, including Lake Washington Institute of Technology, which had nursing students visit the facility last week (above)
They’ve not shown any symptoms but will need to be kept under close watch for the next 14 days.
According to Kellie Stickney, a city of Kirkland spokesperson, the quarantine is ‘out of an abundance of caution.’
Several elementary, middle and high schools in the Seattle area voluntarily closed on Monday and/or Tuesday.
Also shut down was Lake Washington Institute of Technology, which is closed for two days as campus is disinfected.
It’s not clear if the 16 nursing students and four faculty/staff members that visited the nursing home last week will need to go under quarantine.
‘The health and safety of our students, faculty and staff are top of mind as we work our way through this emergency,’ said Lake Washington president Amy Morrison said in a statement.
‘Our faculty have been in contact with those students, as well as college administration. Currently, the college is awaiting guidance from King County Public Health in order to provide information and guidance to our faculty and students.’
Panic even reached a church that canceled Holy Communion on Sunday and banned handshakes and hugs among its congregation.
Staffers at Northshore Community Church wiped down door handles and urged anyone who didn’t feel well to stay home.
‘We are gathered together today amidst news that can make us anxious or fearful. I’m sure all of our hearts are thinking about that word ‘coronavirus,” senior pastor Scott Scruggs said as he addressed the crowd, reported The Washington Post.
‘We’re doing what we can and we want to invite you to do the same.’