Three more residents of Carroll County elder care facilities have died due to complications of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, the Carroll County Health Department announced Monday.
Carroll has now seen 320 coronavirus cases and 38 fatalities, up from the 291 cases and 35 fatalities through Friday.
Two of those who died were residents of Pleasant View Nursing Home in Mount Airy, where 26 residents have died since the coronavirus outbreak began last month. The facility has seen 82 residents and 39 staff members have test positive.
The other deceased was a resident of Carroll Lutheran Village in Westminster, where three residents have died of the coronavirus. Thirty-five CLV residents have tested positive — up three since Friday — as have 10 staff members.
The health department will not confirm cases in any other specific long-term care facilities in Carroll.
However, 16 other cases of COVID-19 have been announced at county long-term care facilities, by the health department. There are 194 cases involving residents or staff of seven different such facilities (including Pleasant View and Carroll Lutheran Village) in the county.
Ten new community cases — that is, those not associated with a long-term care facility — were announced Monday, bringing the total to 126 (62 women and 64 men). There were no new community fatalities. Four community fatalities had been reported through Friday.
Nearly half of all the community residents who have tested positive for the coronavirus — 58 — have been released released from isolation. That means at least 72 hour have passed since recovery, which is defined as resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and at least seven days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
Nearly 80 percent of Carroll’s cases involve residents in Westminster or Mount Airy, with 121 within Westminster ZIP codes and 103 in Mount Airy.
Anyone who thinks they or a family member might be showing coronavirus symptoms can call the Carroll County Health Department’s COVID-19 hotline, which is available 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. seven days a week at 410-876-4848, or contact their doctor. After hours, callers may leave a message or call 211. People with emergencies should continue to call 911.