How Coronavirus Is Affecting North Whitehall Area Nursing Homes: Weekly Update

NORTH WHITEHALL, PA — The coronavirus pandemic has devastated nursing homes across the U.S., with thousands of cases and deaths among residents reported weekly. The country has seen great improvement recently, however, with the fewest recorded weekly cases among nursing home residents since at least late May 2020.

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has been tracking the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in nursing homes, including some in the North Whitehall area.

CMS reported around 5,700 nursing home resident COVID-19 cases nationwide during the week of Feb. 1-7. Its data shows weekly recorded cases are down nearly 85 percent since the peak in mid-December.

There have been more than 631,000 coronavirus cases among nursing home residents and 127,000 deaths since the pandemic began, according to CMS. More than a quarter of all U.S. deaths are among nursing home residents.

Nursing home staff members have also been heavily affected by the pandemic, with 542,000 recorded staff cases and more than 1,500 deaths.

The federal government has prioritized long-term care residents and staff for the coronavirus vaccine in an effort to stem cases and deaths. Around 4.3 million residents and staff in long-term care facilities have received at least one dose as of Feb. 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Some notes on the CMS data: CMS has authority over nursing homes but not over other senior living facilities such as assisted living and skilled nursing facilities. Only nursing homes that pass the agency's data quality check are included. CMS also notes that its data could differ from state reports, owing to different counting methods, and in some cases it omits information on cases and deaths before May 17, when reporting became mandatory.

Below are the figures for nursing homes in the North Whitehall area.

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Editor's note: This list was automatically generated using data compiled by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The local nursing homes included in the list are limited to those included in the government data. Please report any errors or other feedback to content@patch.com.

CEDARBROOK SENIOR CARE AND REHABILITATION
350 S. CEDARBROOK ROAD, ALLENTOWN

Residents

• Week of Feb. 1-7: There were 10 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1 related death among 493 total residents at this nursing home during the week ending Feb. 7.
• Overall: Since the onset of the pandemic, there have been 375 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 108 related deaths reported among nursing home residents.

Staff members

• Week of Feb. 1-7: This nursing home reported 7 confirmed COVID-19 cases among its staff members in the week ending Feb. 7.
• Overall: There have been 277 confirmed cases and 0 deaths due to COVID-19 reported among staff members since the pandemic began.

FELLOWSHIP MANOR
3000 FELLOWSHIP DRIVE, WHITEHALL

Residents

• Week of Feb. 1-7: There were 3 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1 related death among 116 total residents at this nursing home during the week ending Feb. 7.
• Overall: Since the onset of the pandemic, there have been 157 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 37 related deaths reported among nursing home residents.

Staff members

• Week of Feb. 1-7: This nursing home reported 2 confirmed COVID-19 cases among its staff members in the week ending Feb. 7.
• Overall: There have been 96 confirmed cases and 0 deaths due to COVID-19 reported among staff members since the pandemic began.

LUTHER CREST NURSING FACILITY
800 HAUSMAN ROAD, ALLENTOWN

Residents

• Week of Feb. 1-7: There were 0 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1 related death among 49 total residents at this nursing home during the week ending Feb. 7.
• Overall: Since the onset of the pandemic, there have been 29 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 7 related deaths reported among nursing home residents.

Staff members

• Week of Feb. 1-7: This nursing home reported 1 confirmed COVID-19 case among its staff members in the week ending Feb. 7.
• Overall: There have been 35 confirmed cases and 0 deaths due to COVID-19 reported among staff members since the pandemic began.

MANORCARE HEALTH SERVICES-WEST ALLEN
535 NORTH 17TH STREET, ALLENTOWN

Residents

• Week of Feb. 1-7: There were 0 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 0 related deaths among 102 total residents at this nursing home during the week ending Feb. 7.
• Overall: Since the onset of the pandemic, there have been 96 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 29 related deaths reported among nursing home residents.

Staff members

• Week of Feb. 1-7: This nursing home reported 0 confirmed COVID-19 cases among its staff members in the week ending Feb. 7.
• Overall: There have been 50 confirmed cases and 0 deaths due to COVID-19 reported among staff members since the pandemic began.

PHOEBE ALLENTOWN HEALTH CARE CENTER
1925 TURNER STREET, ALLENTOWN

Residents

• Week of Feb. 1-7: There were 0 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 3 related deaths among 215 total residents at this nursing home during the week ending Feb. 7.
• Overall: Since the onset of the pandemic, there have been 85 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 45 related deaths reported among nursing home residents.

Staff members

• Week of Feb. 1-7: This nursing home reported 1 confirmed COVID-19 case among its staff members in the week ending Feb. 7.
• Overall: There have been 137 confirmed cases and 0 deaths due to COVID-19 reported among staff members since the pandemic began.