REDMOND – A hospital in central Oregon is reporting an outbreak of COVID-19 among workers.
St. Charles Redmond Hospital said on Wednesday that 31 people had tested positive, and Deschutes County Health Services and the Oregon Health Authority are investigating, KTVZ-TV reported.
It is not clear how the outbreak occurred. St. Charles Health System, Inc., is based in Bend. They own and operate St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond.
Iman Simmons, St. Charles’s director of operations, said Wednesday night that 10 of the 31 caregivers received the first of two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. She said that some may have received the second dose, but could not confirm this.
She said the 31 infected people will be on paid leave for two weeks and should be symptom-free and negative for the virus before returning to work.
New precautions are in place at the hospital, such as testing all caregivers and increasing air exchange. They are also limiting visitors.
–The Associated Press