A seventh resident at the Meadow Lakes continuing care retirement community in East Windsor has died of COVID-19 complications, the New Jersey Department of Health announced May 12.
Six residents at Meadow Lakes had died of COVID-19 complications through May 10. The deaths are reported to the state agency by long-term care facilities, such as Meadow Lakes. The death of the seventh resident was included in an updated report for May 11 that was released May 12.
The seven Meadow Lakes residents are among the 491 East Windsor residents who had tested positive for COVID-19 through May 11, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. As of May 10, 413 East Windsor residents had recovered.
Officials also announced that 5,426 Mercer County residents had tested positive for COVID-19, and that 349 residents had died of the disease through May 11. With the exception of the seven deaths at Meadow Lakes, it is not known how many of the 349 Mercer County residents who died were East Windsor residents.
The New Jersey Department of Health has begun to release the number of positive tests for COVID-19 and the number of deaths that are suspected to be related to COVID-19 that have occurred in long-term care facilities.
A note on the New Jersey Department of Health’s website qualifies the number of reported deaths in those facilities.
“All deaths may not be be laboratory confirmed (for COVID-19). The cases are self-reported by facilities at a point in time and may not reflect real-time data,” the note said.
The New Jersey Department of Health reported on May 12 that 518 long-term care facilities in the state had experienced outbreaks of COVID-19, including 23 long-term care facilities in Mercer County.
The total number of deaths in long-term care facilities was 4,953 people statewide – including 239 fatalities in Mercer County – as of May 11, officials said.
In response to COVID-19 concerns, Meadow Lakes banned non-essential visitors in March. Staff members and essential employees are screened for signs and symptoms of COVID-19, which includes taking their temperature with a no-touch thermometer and asking about symptoms or potential exposure.
Meadow Lakes has banned congregate dining in the dining room, so residents take their meals in their apartment or room. All common areas and shared facilities are cleaned and disinfected twice per day. Personal protective equipment is provided to employees who provide direct care to residents.
Residents’ apartments are entered only for emergency medical, maintenance or sanitation purposes. Social visits by employees and routine maintenance and housekeeping services have been eliminated.
Meadow Lakes is operated by Springpoint Senior Living, formerly known as Presbyterian Homes of New Jersey.