Sussex Co. Nursing Home Death Toll Rising In Coronavirus Crisis

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ - The latest update from state officials breaking down the impact of the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic in nursing home and long-term care facilities has shown an increase in infections and a rising death toll in Sussex County.

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The state has a dashboard set up that tracks the number of cases statewide, including how many cases and fatalities involve long-term care facilities. The 285 cases are spread among the 5 impacted facilities. There have been 70 deaths at these facilities as reported by the New Jersey Department of Health.

The largest outbreak in Sussex County remains at Andover Subacute and Rehab Center II. The report shows that 176 cases were logged there and out of those there were 45 deaths.

The facility has recorded dozens of positive coronavirus cases, but the cause of death for the deceased has not been confirmed. This is not the first time this particular facility has come under scrutiny, according to inspection reports.

Over the past three years the overall rating for Andover Subacute and Rehab II is one star, placing it "much below average." The health inspection during that time brought up five citations and also saw the facility one star. The health inspection star rating is based on each active provider's current health inspection survey and the two prior surveys, as well as findings from the most recent three years of complaints information and inspection revisits, records note.

The records also indicated that many of the health violations were the result of complaints to the survey agency.

Records show the facility was also found deficient in:

• telling residents, the resident's doctor, and a family member's of situations, such as injury or decline, that affect the resident.
• honoring the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment
• ensuring services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality
• ensuring that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

Here are the facilities in Sussex County that have patients positive for the coronavirus, followed by the deaths that have happened at those facilities. The list of facilities was provided by the state Department of Health; there may be discrepancies due to a delay in communications between the facilities and the state:

• Barn Hill Care Center Newton, 14, 0
• Valley View Rehabilitation and Health Care Center Newton, 18, 6
• Homestead Rehabilitation and Health Care Center Newton, 36, 7
• Andover Subacute and Rehab Center I Andover Boro, 43, 11
• Andover Subacute and Rehab Center II Andover Boro, 174, 46

Statewide, 18,045 cases of the coronavirus have been identified at 489 long-term care facilities. There have been 3,247 deaths at these facilities, with the most egregious case documented at the Andover Subacute & Rehab Center Two.

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