Dozens more Gallatin nursing home residents, staff test positive for COVID-19

An additional 59 Gallatin nursing home residents have tested positive for COVID-19 and are being taken to Sumner Regional Medical Center for treatment.

Thirty-three Gallatin Center for Rehabilitation and Healing staff members also tested positive for the novel coronavirus, but are isolating at home.

The new numbers were announced Sunday evening via a news release from Gov. Bill Lee's office. In total, 74 residents of the nursing home have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Lee's spokeswoman Laine Arnold.

Two nursing home residents have died, said Sumner County Mayor Anthony Holt during a Sunday evening news conference.

Holt pleaded with all who live in Sumner County to take seriously his call to stay home.

"I am begging, I am pleading, I am asking that you stay home if at all possible. Keep your loved ones safe. This is serious," Holt said.

The governor's COVID-19 Unified Command — a joint operation between Tennessee Department of Health, Tennessee Department of Military and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency — is involved in addressing the outbreak at the Gallatin center.

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"Unified Command has worked in partnership with the Gallatin Center for Rehabilitation and Healing and local partners in testing residents, transporting the sick and further evaluating those at risk," said Unified Command Director Stuart McWhorter, in the news release. "This situation has escalated quickly and we urge nursing homes and assisted care facilities to reach out to us as soon as cases are identified within their populations."

The state does think the Gallatin center followed proper protocols, but will undergo further investigation, the Sunday news release from the governor's office states.

Lee signed an executive order March 22 restricting outside visitors to nursing homes and assisted living facilities. On Sunday evening, the governor and the Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey announced additional guidance for long term care facilities.

The state is facilitating the cleaning and disinfecting of the Gallatin center. It is also offering supplemental support for the residents who do not have COVID-19.

The COVID-19 outbreak at the Gallatin nursing home evolved over the weekend.

First wave of patients transported on Friday

Unified Command worked with the Gallatin nursing home Friday to transport patients to Sumner Regional Medical Center for care, the governor's news release states. Several agencies helped move patients.

Gallatin Mayor Paige Brown said 24 patients were transported to the hospital Friday night. She said Sunday that 23 of those patients remain hospitalized and one had died.

She identified the deceased patient as Homer Barr, a retired captain for the Gallatin Fire Department and a well-loved member of the community. It was not immediately clear what caused his death, however. He served on the fire department from 1978 to 2004.

"Captain Barr was my officer when I began my career in 1993. One thing that always stood out with him was he was always concerned about his firefighters’ safety," Assistant Chief Robert Richie said in a Sunday news release, "and I’m grateful to him for that."

The second nursing home resident to die has yet to be identified.

National guard helps with testing on Saturday

On Saturday, more than 20 members of the national guard helped the nursing home test all of its patients and staff, the Sunday press release from the governor's office states. Test results were received Sunday.

Brown said on Sunday that 142 patients were tested for COVID-19 on Saturday and 17 more patients were taken to the hospital for care.

"This is a situation that we're working very closely with a lot of people," said Brown, who was alerted to concerns at the nursing home Wednesday. "This is why all the warnings have been so serious and why we are begging people to protect themselves because it's about protecting the most vulnerable among us."

More patients transported Sunday

The transports continued Sunday, Sumner County EMS Chief Greg Miller said at the Sunday evening news conference. They requested aid from across the region to help move the 59 additional cases announced Sunday, he said.

The transportation of these patients is expected to continue into Monday, according to a Sunday evening post on the Sumner Regional Medical Center's Facebook page.

HighPoint Health System, which operates the hospital, continues to accept and evaluate patients from the Gallatin nursing home, the post said. Forty-two patients were admitted and are currently in isolation at Sumner Regional Medical Center; two people are dead.

In addition to the 59 patients being taken to Sumner Regional on Sunday and Monday, 14 noncritical patients are being taken to Trousdale Medical Center for care; 12 noncritical patients are going to Livingston Regional Hospital; and 8 noncritical patients are being taken to Riverview Regional Medical Center, the Facebook post said.

"Our hearts are with the residents and their families and all of those mourning loved ones during this difficult time," the Facebook post said. "Sumner Regional Medical Center has activated our emergency plan, which expands our capacity of available beds. We stand ready and will continue serving our patients and community through this crisis."

Additional patients could be transported in the future from the nursing home if more test results come back positive or if more patients exhibit signs and symptoms, Miller said.

"This is an unprecedented situation that none of us have ever seen before," Miller said. "It doesn't require an order to exercise common sense. Social distance. If you do not have to be out, do not. We're going to experience more numbers. We're going to experience more deaths."

Reach Holly Meyer at hmeyer@tennessean.com or 615-259-8241 and on Twitter @HollyAMeyer.