2 Nursing Homes In Santa Monica Hit Hard – Malibu Urges People From Surrounding Cities To Get Free Tests Here
Written by 991KBU on April 23, 2020
California recorded its highest number of deaths in a day since the coronavirus pandemic began, according to data collected by The San Francisco Chronicle.
A record 118 people were reported to have died from the virus in California on Wednesday, according to data from each of the state’s 58 counties.
The nationwide death roll … more than 44 thousand.
729 of those deaths were in Los Angeles County.
The number of confirmed cases in Malibu … 26.
In the nearby Santa Monica Mountains … 8.
Calabasas …. 31.
Pacific Palisades … 33.
And the city of Santa Monica has 139 cases.
—-
Coronavirus is ripping thru two nursing homes and assisted living centers in Santa Monica.
The Rehabilitation Center of Santa Monica has 1o confirmed cases in its staff and 18 in its residents.
The Beachwood Post Acute and Rehab Center has 9 confirmed staff and 20 patients with the disease.
Other nursing homes have smaller numbers of the disease.
LA County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer says the people working at nursing homes are in particular danger.
NEWSCART 75548 FERRER NURSING
“All of the care for most of the residents happens because of the employees bathing people, feeding people moving people.
“They in extraordinarily close contact with the people needing care.”
40 percent of the deaths in California are from nursing homes.
The state is sending emergency nurses and aids into LA County nursing homes.
And U S Navy workers from the hospital ship Mercy are also being sent to nursing homes.
——
Malibu has tests.
The volunteer effort at City Hall … co-sponsored by Sean Penn’s group CORE and Doctor Benya at the Malibu Medical Group … is going back into operation today and tomorrow.
And people without symptoms are invited to come get tested.
Malibu Mayor Karen Farrer explains why the test is important for people who are not yet sick.
NEWSCART 75547 FARRER TESTS ONE
“Testing results from the past few weeks have shown that most positive cases were asymptomatic.
“Therefore it is critical to conduct widespread testing, so that people who have contracted COVID-19, but who do not have symptoms, can self-isolate in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus and save lives.”
Malibu is not an island.
The health of people in the entire region is going to affect the health of people in Malibu.
That’s why the Malibu mayor says the tests are being offered by malibu to people across the region.
NEWSCART 75546 FARRER TESTS TWO
“That testing is meant for all community members of The greater Malibu area including but not limited to Pacific Palisades, Topanga, Calabasas, Westlake Village, Agoura Hills and Thousand Oaks … regardless of whether they have Covid 19 symptoms or not.”
These are the nasal swab tests …. that tell people is they have active COVID 19 infections.
These are NOT the blood antivirus tests .. that might tell people if they have HAD the disease at some point in the past.
And the word MIGHT is very important here.
Blood antibody tests are new.
The market is suddenly flooding with antibody … blood serum tests … after the FDA approved emergency procedures.
These tests are not certified by the FDA.
Some are shown to be providing false positives or false negative reading at alarming levels.
Getting back to the nasal tests being offered at city hall.
These are drive thru tests.
Testing hours are 10 to 4 … but the last car must be in line by 3.
Preregistration is requested but not required.
The cost os 60 dollars contribution to the effort … but no one will be turned away.
Sick people will have their fee paid for by their insurance … if they have insurance.
Today and tomorrow …. at Malibu City Hall.
