COVID-19 numbers take huge jump in Butler County due to nursing home cases

MORGANTOWN, Ky. – Signature HealthCARE of Morgantown confirmed that 29 of its residents and 22 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a release from the company.

On Friday afternoon, Butler County had only 11 positive cases.

The facility recently tested all of its residents and employees.

Nearly all of the residents are asymptomatic or mild and will be treated at the facility, according to the release. All staffers who tested positive will not be allowed to return to work without medical clearance.

“With an increase in positive cases at Morgantown, and for the utmost safety, protection and care of our residents, staff, and our community, Signature HealthCARE of Morgantown has transitioned part of its facility to one of the region’s few COVID-19 only care units,” the release reads. “This is being done to care for those who need us most right now in our community. The COVID-19 only unit will house all positive COVID-19 residents. More severe resident cases will be transported to other hospital facilities as warranted and directed by the residents’ physicians.”

The facility is a 120-bed facility.

“This virus comes for the most vulnerable…, ” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Sunday in his daily COVID-19 address to the state.

Beshear announced 134 new cases of the virus Sunday with one of the those being in Warren County. Kentucky has 1,963 cases overall.