2 Veterans At Chelsea Soldiers' Home Die From Coronavirus
CHELSEA (CBS) - Two veterans at the Chelsea Soldiers' Home have died from coronavirus, just days after 15 people died at a long term care facility for veterans in western Massachusetts.
A spokesman for the Chelsea facility did not release any information about the first patient. WBZ-TV I-Team sources confirmed the second death Wednesday afternoon.
#Sources: a second resident of #MA run #Veterans - Soldiers Home in #Chelsea has died of #COVID19 #WBZ #coronavirus
— Cheryl Fiandaca (@CherylFiandaca) April 1, 2020
Two staff members have also tested positive for COVID-19.
One ward in the home is now "strictly for residents who have tested-positive." The rest of the veterans have been quarantined to their wards to minimize their risk of exposure.
"The Chelsea Soldiers' Home followed appropriate reporting and protocols for a COVID-19 incident and is working to prioritize veteran residents' health during this outbreak," spokesman Timothy Leazott said in a statement Wednesday.
Last Friday, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) set up a tent outside the complex so temperatures could be taken of all staff members before they enter the building.
A lack of proper isolation and overcrowding allegedly led to 15 deaths at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home for veterans this week. Eleven of them have tested positive for coronavirus. The state launched an investigation into the home Wednesday.