A third deceased resident of a Fort Lauderdale assisted living facility tested positive for the novel coronavirus, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Saturday.
The three residents from Atria Willow Wood were tested this week for COVID-19. One of the results that were first reported as negative is actually positive, DeSantis and an official from the facility confirmed.
The governor also confirmed that the facility did not implement guidelines from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services when screening workers before they entered the building.
"You shouldn’t need someone breathing down your neck to do this," DeSantis said referring to workers in the field.
As of Saturday, DeSantis said 10 residents tested positive for COVID-19, while test results are still pending for four other residents.
The identity of the other deceased resident was not released.
In the current coronavirus pandemic, 19 homes in Florida have reported suspected or confirmed cases, DeSantis announced at a news conference earlier in the week. The homes were not identified.
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"If you are an operator of one of these facilities you need to take responsibility to protect your residents," DeSantis said.
Since 2016, federal inspections have found that 20 Miami nursing homes violated infection control and prevention procedures, lapses that represented a potential for harm, though no one was actually hurt, according to data from Kaiser Health News.
The new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, for most people, but older adults and those with existing health problems can develop severe complications, including pneumonia.
