COVID-19 outbreak at Massachusetts nursing home kills 5, infects 30

October 25, 2020October 25, 2020 WKXA

byryo/iStockBY: JULIA JACOBO, ABC NEWS

(BOSTON) — Five people have died from an outbreak of COVID-19 at a nursing home in Massachusetts, according to officials.

A total of 30 people were infected at the Sunny Acres Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Chelmsford, according to statistics released weekly by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

The outbreak comes after 15 weeks of no positive cases at the nursing home, Sunny Acres administrator Jeff Schwartz wrote on its website. Many of the residents began testing positive in late September.

“Unfortunately, it has proved impossible to keep this rapidly spreading and highly contagious virus out of this center,” Schwartz said.

Several residents have moved past their 14-day isolation period and are now recovering, Schwartz said. The facility has been receiving support from infection control specialists and has been following state and federal COVID-19 guidance.

Meanwhile, one church in North Carolina has been barred from holding services after a week-long convocation drew more than 1,000 people, leading to three deaths.

The convocation held by the United House of Prayer for All People led to a COVID-19 cluster tied to 121 cases in three counties, ABC Charlotte affiliate WSOC reported. Those numbers do not include an additional 127 people who were tested in drive-by facilities on Friday.

The Mecklenburg County Health Department issued an “Abatement of Imminent Hazard” on the church due to the cluster.

“We have taken this action out of an abundance of caution to prevent the COVID-19 virus from further spreading in our community,” Mecklenburg County public health director Gibbie Harris said in a statement. “This type of order is rare, but sometimes necessary. It prevents the church from opening or allowing any further gathering, making sure we stop this outbreak from going any further.”

The order was issued after church leaders announced they still planned to hold large events scheduled for Oct. 25 through Oct. 31, according to WSOC.

All in-person gatherings at United House of Prayer facilities are now canceled until at least Nov. 6, and the church is required to clean and disinfect indoor surfaces.