Older adults continue to pay the highest price during the pandemic. They make up well over half of all COVID-related deaths in Texas.
Now, more details are emerging about a deadly outbreak at a local long-term care facility.
Saddle Brook Memory Care in Frisco is home to dozens of people suffering from Alzheimer's, dementia and other forms of memory loss, according to its website.
Recently, many who live and work there faced another fight.
Thursday, the chief operating officer of its parent company, Koelsch Communities, confirmed 10 residents who tested positive for COVID-19 have died since late September.
“Between Sept. 29 and Oct. 23, ten of our dear residents at Saddle Brook, who had tested positive, passed away,” said COO Eva Arant.
Denton County Public Health announced the deaths this week after reviewing medical records to confirm the death was a result of a COVID-19 diagnosis, said Juan Rodriguez, chief epidemiologist at Denton County Public Health.
Rodriguez said each person who died was in their 70s or 80s.
“So that is definitely the more vulnerable population and it goes along with the underlying conditions as well,” Rodriguez.
Arant says Saddle Brook Memory Care entered quarantine protocols on September 29 after a staff member came down with the virus.
Between Oct. 5 and Oct.15, Arant said all staff and residents at Saddle Brook Memory Care were tested for the virus. Out of 56 people tested, 23 residents and 10 staff tested positive for COVID-19.
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“We all mourn the loss of these residents and our thoughts and prayers go out to their family and friends,” Avant said.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission says it's “actively investigating this facility to assess compliance with all relevant health and safety rules.”
Avant said there are no active cases of COVID-19 at Saddle Brook Memory Care.
