Residents at Mount View Care Center in Wausau Test Positive for Covid-19

Community Updates

For Immediate Release: July 25, 2020

All Outdoor Visitation Canceled for Mount View Care Center and Pine Crest Nursing Homes Until Further Notice

Mount View Care Center, Wausau, WI
Mount View Care Center, Wausau, WI

(July 25, 2020, Wausau, WI) – North Central Health Care has been informed that five residents at Mount View Care Center have tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, July 24. All residents who tested positive reside in a single unit of Mount View Care Center. NCHC is in close contact with the Marathon County Health Department and is following recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and our local health officials.

Regular Covid-19 testing was currently underway at Mount View in the Southshore Post-acute Care unit, as recently required by the Marathon County Health Department due to a Covid-19 positive employee reported on July 19. The unit was under isolation precautions to prevent the spread of illness and outdoor visitation was restricted for residents of the unit. The first round of testing resulted in all negative Covid-19 results for residents and staff. The second round of testing resulted in the five Covid-19 positive residents. Testing will continue every 3-7 days.

As required by the Marathon County and Lincoln County Health Departments, and for the safety of residents, staff and visitors, NCHC will be canceling all visitation at Mount View Care Center and Pine Crest Nursing Home until further notice to focus staffing on the direct care of residents and preventing the spread of illness. This includes all forms of outdoor, patio and window visits. Virtual visits will continue. Indoor visitation has been restricted since March.

“We know that the decision to restrict our outdoor visitation will be difficult for families and loved ones, however based on the high level of community spread currently in our counties of service, we believe this decision is in the best interest of our residents, staff and visitors,” states Michael Loy, CEO of NCHC. “We strongly encourage everyone in our community to continue wearing masks while in public, practice social distancing and avoid large gatherings. The actions you take every day to prevent the spread of Covid-19 can make a difference in preventing our most vulnerable populations from contracting this virus.”

Pine Crest Nursing Home, Merrill, WI
Pine Crest Nursing Home, Merrill, WI

In total since March, North Central Health Care has reported three Covid-19 positive employees at Mount View Care Center, two employees at Pine Crest Nursing Home and one employee in Community Treatment in Wausau, a community-based mental and behavioral health program. Through contact tracing, all cases reported in employees are believed to be unrelated and contracted through community spread. Mount View Care Center currently provides care for 162 residents. Pine Crest has a current census of 123 residents and no Covid-19 positive residents.

NCHC took precautions early in March, before recommendations were provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on preventing the spread of Covid-19, including:

  • Restricting visitation inside all NCHC nursing homes, inpatient behavioral health and group homes
  • Implementing emergency zone restrictions on the Wausau Campus to limit foot traffic and exposure
  • Requiring masks at all times by staff and patients
  • Implementing screening of all staff upon arrival, including temperature monitoring
  • Monitoring vitals of residents multiple times per day

NCHC will continue working with local health officials for continued Covid-19 testing of residents and staff. For families with questions and concerns, please visit our website at www.norcen.org/Family and www.norcen.org/Covid-19 for contacts and updated information. North Central Health Care continually monitors the latest information provided by the CDC, state and local public health officials to ensure that policies and procedures reflect the latest recommendations and requirements.

####

North Central Health Care provides compassionate, high-quality care for individuals and families with mental health, recovery and skilled nursing needs in Marathon, Langlade and Lincoln counties. Services are provided for mental health, substance abuse, crisis, developmental disabilities, adult protection, aquatic physical therapy and skilled nursing care. North Central Health Care operates two skilled nursing facilities, Mount View Care Center in Wausau and Pine Crest Nursing Home in Merrill.

Find North Central Health Care online: News | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | www.norcen.org

Media contact:
North Central Health Care
Jessica Meadows, Public Information Officer
Marketing & Communications Director
1100 Lake View Drive • Wausau, WI 54403
715.370.1547 jmeadows@norcen.org www.norcen.org