CONWAY, Ark. — The largest intermediate care facility run by the state has confirmed 92 Covid-19 cases.
The Arkansas Department of Human Services said Conway Human Development Center has 67 residents and 25 staff who’ve tested positive for the coronavirus.
THV11 viewers have reached out and urged us to look into the COVID-19 outbreak inside the facility.
"We understand why they reach out, they are fearful right now,” said Melissa Stone, DHS division director of Developmental Disability Services.
Stone tells us of the 92 confirmed cases, three residents are hospitalized.
But with the sudden growth of cases at the facility, staff there have expressed concern to THV11 about not having enough help to fight it.
"We are not concerned at this time about staffing shortages. That is something we look at on a daily basis,” said Stone.
The Conway community has donated PPE to help in the fight, and the Arkansas Department of Health tells us they've stepped in.
ADH has done its own investigating and is confident the CHDC and DHS are doing its best to adequately staff the facility.
“We are giving guidance and assistance to them on how to safely isolate or quarantine residents and staff,” said Dr. Naveen Patil with ADH.
The CHDC told THV11 they have followed suit with the ADH’s guidance.
They have separated all COVID-19 positive patients/residents and non-COVID-19 patients/residents.
Dr. Patil said they are working to keep staff assigned to specific areas.
"There's no cross-transmission where the healthcare worker has to take care of both the positive and negative patient. We do not want such a scenario,” said Dr. Patil.
Families with loved ones there are holding on to hope.
"We know it's somewhat scary,” said Paul Rainwater, father to a CHDC resident.
Rainwater's son lives at CHDC and has for nine years. He has not tested positive for COVID-19, but said he is under strict precautions.
"We aren't panicking. We have full confidence in them and we have this confidence because of these years of time we’ve been there,” said Rainwater.
THV11 will continue tracking the COVID-19 outbreak at CHDC and bring you the latest information online and on-air.