6 residents, 1 staff at Ligonier Gardens nursing home test positive for coronavirus

Six residents and a staff member of Ligonier Gardens Personal Care Home have tested positive for coronavirus, according to Bethlen Communities, the nonprofit organization that operates the home.

Two other Bethlen employees who don’t work at Ligonier Gardens also have tested positive. One works in transportation, the other in home health, according to the organization.

Bethlen Communities officials were first notified Sunday of test results for an employee and a resident. They since have received information about the additional cases, the nonprofit said in a statement.

People who were in contact with the infected staff and residents have been notified.

“To ensure the continued safety of our residents, clients and staff, quarantine measures have been put into place at all of our facilities,” Bethlen CEO Heather K. Lincoln said in a statement. “This includes the elimination of communal dining and attempts to keep residents within their own rooms as much as possible.”

Bethlen has established a hotline at 724-248-6137. Callers will hear a recorded message that is updated regularly regarding Bethlen’s coronavirus cases.

Bethlen runs two nursing homes — Ligonier Gardens and Bethlen Home — as well as retirement cottages and home health programs.

Visitation at the two nursing homes has been suspended for several weeks.

Nonresidential Bethlen facilities, such as the Graceful Aging Wellness Center, are closed.

“Our staff has been educated on a continual basis on prevention procedures when reporting to work, and they remain vigilant in preventing the spread of the virus,” Lincoln’s statement said.

As of Tuesday, there were 61 confirmed coronavirus cases in Westmoreland County.