Pictured is Chautauqua Nursing & Rehabilitation Center on Temple Road in Dunkirk. Photo by Jo Ward

DUNKIRK — Positive COVID-19 cases involving staff and residents appear to be increasing at a rapid rate in the Chautauqua Nursing & Rehabilitation Center on Temple Road in Dunkirk.

Since Christmas, there have been at least five communications from the administration to family members of residents at the location, alerting them to the rising infections.

“Similar to hospitals, schools and places of business throughout the state, (the facility) has experienced a cluster of residents, many of whom were asymptomatic, test positive over the past week for the coronavirus,” said Dawn M. Harsch, director of corporate communications for VestraCare, the owner of the Dunkirk facility. “As such, these individuals have been appropriately quarantined and are receiving expert treatment.

“It’s important to note that one reason for what appears from the outside to be a spike in positive cases is because Chautauqua Nursing & Rehabilitation Center conducts weekly rapid tests of residents with a 15-minute turnaround for results. This allows our caregivers to make decisions within minutes of discovering that someone, even if they are asymptomatic, has tested positive. Overall, this means the larger residential and staff population are protected much faster and more effectively than if they had to wait three-to-five days for test results. It also means that test result numbers are reported faster to the required health authorities and family members.”

According to family members, one resident’s death at the facility has been reported in the last week.

Pictured is Chautauqua Nursing & Rehabilitation Center on Temple Road in Dunkirk. Photo by Jo Ward

Christine Schuyler, county public health director and commissioner of Social Services, said the care center outbreak is one of many in the region. “We have clusters in several nursing homes, several businesses,” she said. “There’s widespread community spread. … People need to be diligent and not let their guard down. Any activities outside of work will impact those you work with. We definitely have a light at the end of the tunnel. We just need to get through these few months.”

Schuyler noted that the state Health Department oversees nursing homes regarding COVID-19, not county health departments.

This increase at the Dunkirk facility, according to the numbers through Dec. 20 on the federal Nursing Home COVID-19 Public File, is an indicator of how well this location had been dealing with the virus for the first nine months. The only other known report of infection was from early autumn when a staff member tested positive in late September. Other nursing homes in the county, especially the Tanglewood locations in Jamestown and Frewsburg, have reported COVID clusters in October and late December.

Chautauqua Nursing & Rehabilitation, however, had been untouched. In early June, the facility announced all residents at that time had tested negative for the virus. “The test results are a true reflection of each individual’s work ethic, personal follow-through and commitment to those in our care,” said Colleen Hart, administrator, late spring. “We could not be more proud of the (our) team.”

But the recent surge throughout the nation and locally appears to be taking a toll on this institution. According to Chautauqua County statistics through Monday, there were 142 active cases in the Dunkirk ZIP code.

For its part, Chautauqua Nursing & Rehabilitation Center has reassured family members — through a telephone call — that its staff are using facial coverings, especially N95 masks, that staff and residents are being tested twice weekly and four-hour monitoring of vital signs are taking place for all residents.

“The safety and health of our residents and staff is of paramount importance,” Harsch said. “Twice-weekly staff testing remains ongoing at our facility and we continue to be proactive in our surveillance measures. This includes monitoring to identify early symptomology in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services guidance, screening of all staff prior to entering the facility, rigorous cleaning procedures, and use of personal protective equipment.

“In addition, the state Department of Health has checked all services, including staff infection-control measures and techniques, food preparation and verification of PPE and found no issues.

“Chautauqua Nursing & Rehabilitation Center continues to follow Department of Health and CDC guidelines to the letter.”

Gregory Bacon contributed to this report.