On Tuesday, 26 new cases of infection were registered in Bærum. The municipality has had an increasing infection since the beginning of October.
– Ever since then, we have been worried that the infection would sooner or later creep into the nursing homes. What we have been most afraid of has now happened, says municipal chief physician Frantz Leonard Nilsen in Bærum.
Employees at a number of nursing homes and institutions are now working hard to deal with cases of infection or outbreaks.
The situation is most critical at Stabekk nursing home where 14 residents and one employee have been confirmed infected.
– It is a very serious and worrying situation. We expect more people to be infected in the coming days, says the municipal chief.
All departments
A total of 58 residents live at Stabekk nursing home.
– The infection occurred in connection with a person who was admitted to the nursing home on 13 November. Now all wards at the nursing home are affected by infection, says Nilsen.
The nursing home, in collaboration with the municipality, tests all residents and employees every three days. Sick people are isolated, while close contacts are quarantined. In addition, daily advisory meetings are held on the situation.
– In Eidsvoll, the infection spread between nursing homes via employees. How do you work to prevent something similar from happening?
– We have come up with a very strong request that in this situation one should avoid having more working conditions. At the same time, we know that it is very widespread, says the municipal chief.
Cutter vicarage
According to NRK the opportunities to work at more nursing homes are now being tightened.
– We believe that employees who work in several places are part of the problem. It is clear that it is challenging if an auxiliary nurse works 40 percent somewhere, 40 percent another, and in addition takes on call guards, says municipal director of welfare in Bærum, Kristin Nilsen, to NRK.
Among other things, the municipality is looking at the possibility of compensating for loss of income if health workers do not take on-call guards at other nursing homes. The municipality will also increase the vacancies at the nursing homes.
According to the channel, Eidsvoll and Modum municipality are looking at similar solutions.
Infection by hospice
Next to Stabekk nursing home is Stabekk hospice, which is a nursing and care service for the seriously ill, mainly cancer patients. Here, too, one resident has been confirmed infected.
– It is very serious as our residents are very ill and many have a short time left to live, says Mai-Britt Hartvig Knudsen, who is a shop steward for the employees at the hospice.
She says that the institution is particularly vulnerable as they receive many visits from relatives.
– We have a lot of visitors to ensure that the residents get a dignified end and not die alone. In that sense, we may have been lucky since we have not had an infection until now, she says.
She says that all other residents and employees have so far tested negative, but that everyone will be tested again on Wednesday. The residents are isolated in their own rooms.
Knudsen praises the management for how they have handled the situation.
– It’s serious, but I think we have good control. At the same time, you can never know how it develops, she says.
14 employees are infected
Also at Solvik nursing home, seven residents have been confirmed infected. In addition, 14 employees have been diagnosed with covid-19.
The hardest hit nursing homes have introduced a restraining order.
– The exception is made for residents in the last phase of life. There we ensure that relatives are allowed to visit, says municipal chief physician Frantz Leonard Nilsen.
At Gullhaug residential and treatment home, three residents have been confirmed infected. Two of them died with corona. In addition, eight employees have been confirmed infected.
– It is several days since new cases of infection were discovered at Gullhaug, so we hope that this outbreak is over, Nilsen says.
In addition, one employee at Lindelia and one at Solbakken have been confirmed infected. At the Toppen ward at Dønski nursing home, nine patients are infected.
More than 20 nursing home residents have died of corona in Norway so far in November.
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