Valley Medical Center Renton staff have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a Valley Medical source.
The story was first reported by KUOW’s Ashley Hiruko and Isolde Raftery. So far one employee has tested positive for the coronavirus. The employee is at home recovering and they are being monitored. Another 19 employees at the UW Valley were tested for the virus, which has spread across King County in the past week.
Valley Medical Center spokeswoman Jessica Palm confirmed the testing and is suggesting all residents who are concerned about exposure visit www.valleymed.org/publicadvisory/.
The virus potentially spread from a patient who tested positive for COVID-19 while staying at Valley Medical. The patient arrived to the medical center on Feb. 29. The patient is a man in his 60s with underlying conditions. Staff placed the patient in an Airborne Infection Isolation Room.
“All staff on the patient’s care team have been trained in the CDC’s recommended infection prevention and control practices, and all interactions with the patient are being monitored by Valley’s Infection Prevention team,” the advisory stated.
Valley Medical tested 20 employees for COVID-19 and one test has come back positive. Eight of the tests have returned negative and the Valley Medical staff is awaiting on the last 11 tests.
“We have sent a total five patient tests to the King County Public Health for testing and have been sent home to await results,” the advisory stated.
This week, Valley Medical Center posted a video advising patients on how to respond if they think they have contracted or have been exposed to the coronavirus.
Because there are numerous sites across the community where people could potentially have come into contact with someone infected with coronavirus, exposure is determined by symptoms, the advisory stated.
What to look for?
• If you are NOT symptomatic (fever, cough and shortness of breath), you do NOT need to be tested.
• If you ARE symptomatic (fever, cough and shortness of breath) and symptoms ARE manageable, self-quarantine at home for 14 days.
• If you ARE symptomatic (fever, cough and shortness of breath) and symptoms are NOT manageable at home, please call your primary care provider or seek care at the closest emergency department.
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