Doniphan Assisted Living Center Coping With 16 Positive Cases Of COVID-19

Of the 23 new COVID-19 cases confirmed this week in Ripley County, 16 are residents or staff at The Colonial Home assisted living center in Doniphan.

Owner Bob Adams said three residents exhibiting a few symptoms were first noticed on Friday, Aug. 7. All three were tested. Positive results were confirmed Sunday for all three. An additional positive test was confirmed Monday for one staff member. On Thursday evening into early Friday morning, eight more positive tests from residents and four from staffers were confirmed with the Ripley County Health Center.

All residents testing positive were placed into quarantine. Residents who did not test positive are receiving meals in their individual rooms. The facility currently has 25 residents with a staff of 15. No new residents have been admitted since the COVID-19 emergency began in March.

Adams said he and his staff are working closely with the county health center, state officials and the CDC. Families of each resident were notified following confirmation of the first cases. Those cases confirmed on Thursday were scheduled to be re-tested on Friday, however, those results won’t be known until Monday.

Adams also owns and operates Walnut Street Assisted Living in Doniphan. Residents and staff there have been tested this week with no positive cases found, he said.

“Everybody is doing fairly well and we are doing everything the state and health center are advising,” Adams said. “We were social distancing, monitoring staff and doing everything in our guidelines. This was a surprise.”

Adams said his staff has ‘gone way above the call of duty’ while putting in long hours and extra days with one-third of their workforce quarantined.

Jan Morrow, director of the Ripley County Health Center, said Friday her staff currently is monitoring 29 active cases within the county. Overall, since March 27, a total of 73 cases have been confirmed in the county including 53 since July 14.

Morrow continues to emphasize for residents to follow health guidelines for avoiding spread of the virus.

“People have gotten lax in where they are going and what they are doing. Until everyone takes more personal responsibility for themselves and their families, the numbers are going to keep on the rise,” Morrow said. “Some people don’t think it’s real but I do know there are folks that are sick.”

The Butler County Health Department has announced that it has acquired a rapid COVID-19 testing machine. Ripley County residents may call 573-785-8478 to schedule an appointment.