GALLATIN, Tenn. — Sumner County officials have confirmed two of the patients evacuated at the Gallatin Center for Rehabilitation and Healing due to COVID-19 concerns have died.
Sumner County Mayor Anthony Holt also said there are 179 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Sumner County.
Fifty-nine patients have been transported to Sumner Regional Medical Center, according to Mayor Paige Brown, and 33 staff members have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.
Richard Taylor, a former patient at the rehabilitation center, said help was hard to come by during his stay.
"All of them complained about how they were waited on," Taylor said. "Not getting help changing their diaper or help them get dressed, stuff like that."
Sumner Regional Medical Center posted the following update on their Facebook page:
In a press conference Friday night, officials said the patients evacuated from the center were taken to Sumner Regional Medical Center where some patients tested positive for COVID-19.
Nashville's NBC affiliate News4 spoke with some of the patients' families who were upset that they found out about the possible outbreak over social media and were not contacted by the facility's officials.
The following statement was released Saturday morning by the Gallatin Center for Rehabilitation and Healing administration:
"Last night we received report from the DOH that several of our patients that we had tested for COVID-19 had returned positive.
Together with local governing agencies, we were able to transport our patients who tested positive for COVID-19, and those that have symptoms possibly related to COVID-19, to our local hospital for a higher level of care.
We are working with local governing bodies and officials to ensure the safety and well-being of our patients and staff as we fight this virus. Staff are screened multiple times a shift, wear personal protective equipment (PPE), and do not report to duty if unwell. Our local governing agencies are preparing to support our center should we need extra professionals in our center.
We have contacted each family in our center and will continue to do our best to return the large volumes of calls and messages we continue to receive.
The COVID-19 virus is impacting our country in a fast-paced manner, and we cannot express just how important it is that we all take the safety measures put in place by our local and state authorities seriously.
We will continue to do all that we can to ensure the safety and well-being of our patients and staff. We have been preparing for this virus by restricting visitation and requiring all staff to wear PPE before it has been required.
Thank you to all agencies who have been in constant communication with us and for your support and dedication to the elderly.
We will continue these practices and look forward to getting through this pandemic together."
Visitations are currently prohibited at the Gallatin Center for Rehabilitation & Healing.
The rehabilitation center recently released the following statement: