HOUSTON – Starting Monday, nursing homes will be required to report COVID-19 cases within their facilities to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The move is designed to give the government a more accurate gauge of the numbers of cases within communities and the added layer of transparency is welcome to many who have family members they can not see or visit.
KPRC 2 confirmed two recent death at the Sharpview Residence and Rehabilitation Center.
READ: 2 grandmothers who lived at a southwest Houston nursing home die hours apart
A third family has now contacted us.
Ramin Milani claims his father, Karim Milani, 80, was taken to a local hospital on Saturday and has tested positive for COVID-19.
“They don’t even let us see him, so how did the virus get inside?” Ramin Milani, said.
Milani said that he is concerned about conditions inside the facility where his dad lives, and wants to know more about specifics about the precautions Sharpview is taking to protect the safety of residents.
“I do not know what they are doing wrong because we cannot even go inside to see what they are doing,” Milani said.
Another woman, waited outside Sharpview Monday, trying to gauge if her family member, who she said had previously tested positive for COVID-19, but was now returning to the facility after staying in the hospital, would be able to maintain her health inside the facility.
“We don’t know if they’re wearing masks or wearing gloves in there,” Margie Jolivet said.
Rodney Lege, an administrator for Sharpview, declined to answer specific questions about the state of facility and its residences and instead issued the same written statement he did a day earlier:
“With the current unfortunate situation that our nation is facing, our number one priority is the safety and well-being of all of our residents and staff members. The facility has, and will continue to follow strict government guidelines in order to provide continued great and safe care to our residents and staff.”