Death Toll Grows at Vets Homes

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Additional deaths and infections from the coronavirus have turned up in state institutions for elderly veterans and those with disabilities.
In Pennsylvania a total of 12 deaths have now been recorded in state run nursing homes serving veterans.
According to Joan Nissley, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the death toll jumped from nine late last week to 12 today. At least 10 of the deaths occurred at the Southeastern Veterans Center, a 238 bed nursing home in suburban Chester County.
Some 34 Pennsylvania National Guardsmen have been assigned to provide assistance at the facility.
The agency oversees five other veterans homes from Erie to Pittsburgh to Philadelphia.
Nissley also reported that 25 staffers have now tested positive for the Covoid-19 virus throughout the system. That's up from 23 late last week.
A total of 19 patients have tested positive up from 16 last week.
In Tennessee the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities reported one death and 13 active Covid-19 cases among those placed in public and private facilties.
Multiple deaths among patients in state run veterans facilities have been reported in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon and Alabama.
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