Race On To Prevent More COVID-19 Deaths At Long-Term Care Facilities Across The State
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The race is on to prevent more seniors from dying of COVID-19 at Florida long-term care facilities.
Over the weekend, the Florida Department of Health started naming individual places with coronavirus cases
Miami-Dade has 54 facilities with cases, while Broward has 39.
"The facilities list is a big step," said Dave Bruns with Florida AARP.
But Bruns said they would like the state to provide even more information.
"How many cases are there in each facility? Are they Staff or Residents? How is testing going?" he said.
Bruns said the death toll can be devastating if the virus gets a root inside nursing homes where critical care is provided.
"We are talking 155,000 people – the frailest of the frail," he said.
READ: List Of Florida Long-Term Care Facilities With COVID-19 Cases
Overall numbers of the virus at long-term care facilities show Miami-Dade with the most. There are 330 cases and 35 deaths.
Broward has the second highest number in the state.
"We will be doing upward of 500 tests a day at long-term care facilities," Florida Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz told CBS4's Jim DeFede.
Moskowitz said testing is key to containing the spread.
"Are there people who are positive but asymptotic? Important to understand what's going on inside those facilities," he said.
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