A user and an employee of the APPACDM home in Lomar, Braga, tested positive for the new coronavirus screening tests, the institution’s source said.
There is another user with symptoms who has already taken the test, but there is still no result. The result will be mandatory quarantine for 40 users and seven employees, within three homes.
User and employee of APPACDM Braga infected. Homes are quarantined
According to António Melo, chairman of APPACDM Braga, the homes of Lomar, São Lázaro and Gualtar will go into mandatory quarantine starting this evening, with about 40 young people and seven employees staying inside the facilities for the next 14 days.
The official explains that the infected young man belonged to the Center for Occupational Activities but did not attend the institution since March 13, nor has he ever attended the residential home. As for the infected employee, the director explains that the infection may not have been contracted at home.
The remaining users and employees will be subjected to the disease screening test, which should be known in the coming days, while remaining quarantined within the homes.
António Melo said that each user will be confined to a room and will be served by an employee, in order to avoid multiple contacts.
“It is a very difficult situation to manage because several young people have mental illnesses and will not want to be confined to a room all day,” warned the official to O MINHO.
In statements to the Correio do Minho, the technical director of APPACDM in Lomar revealed that the infected man, 44 years old, will be in a critical condition, and already has a history of respiratory problems.
Employee complaints
Some of the organism’s workers point to criticism of the management for not having taken previous measures, but António Melo refutes them, indicating that he is proceeding according to the determinations of the health authorities.
There are also complaints that there are threats to employees to make them work, an accusation also denied by the director.
Regarding the lack of medical support, António Melo explains that the usual nurse is working at the Famalicão Hospital, which increases the risk of contaminating users, in view of this exposure.
The official also reinforces that each young person is in an individual and isolated room, as determined by public health.
–
