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More Than 100 Residents Infected At Allegheny County-Run Nursing Home

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Kane's Scott Township facility where 105 residents have become infected with the coronavirus since the start of September.

One-hundred-and-five residents at an Allegheny County-run nursing home have been infected with the coronavirus since the beginning of September.

So far 10 residents have died and 10 have recovered at the Kane Community Living Centers’ Scott Township facility. State data show the 331-bed nursing home has a current census of 214 people.

Additionally, administrators report that 14 of the 33 Scott employees who have been infected with the virus have recovered. 

This is the second major coronavirus outbreak at the Kane nursing home chain. The first occurred this spring at a facility in Pittsburgh's Glen Hazel neighborhood where 87 residents were infected and 19 died; 59 Glen Hazel employees contracted the virus and have recovered.

At a news conference Friday Kane’s Director Dennis Biondo said staff members at the Scott Township facility are taking infection control precautions, such as having a separate entrance for employees caring for infected residents. Administrators said staff is outfitted with full personal protective equipment, including N95 masks. 

Kane reports it has received infection control help from the state funded Regional Response Health Collaboration Program.  

Sarah Boden covers health and science for 90.5 WESA. Before coming to Pittsburgh in November 2017, she was a reporter for Iowa Public Radio. As a contributor to the NPR-Kaiser Health News Member Station Reporting Project on Health Care in the States, Sarah's print and audio reporting frequently appears on NPR and KFF Health News.