The superintendent of a Massachusetts Soldiers’ Home has been placed on paid administrative leave following the deaths of 11 veterans during a coronavirus outbreak at the facility.
Bennett Walsh’s leave was made effective immediately on Monday after 11 resident veteran deaths at the Holyoke location. Of those who died, five tested positive for COVID-19, while results for the others are still pending. An additional 11 veteran residents have tested positive, and another 25 are awaiting test results. Meanwhile, five staff members have tested positive for the virus.
Those infected or still waiting on results have been isolated, and employees who had contact with them have been advised to self-quarantine. Val Liptak, CEO of Western Massachusetts Hospitals, will assume responsibility for the administration of the Soldiers’ Home during Walsh’s absence.
“We have also implemented an on-site clinical command team comprised of medical, epidemiological, and operational experts responsible for the comprehensive and rapid response to the outbreak of COVID-19,” Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Dan Tsai said, adding that it’s imperative that the facility provide a safe environment for both resident veterans and staff.
“All of these enhancements will build upon the existing protocols and work that align with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Massachusetts Department of Public Health guidance,” he added. “Today’s actions underscore the state’s commitment to our veterans and front-line healthcare employees during this unprecedented public health crisis.”
Before Monday, the state’s Department of Veteran’s Services confirmed that one resident at the Soldiers’ Home tested positive for COVID-19. More than 400 retirement homes across the country have reported cases of the coronavirus.
The United States has so far seen more than 163,000 cases of the coronavirus and over 3,000 related deaths.
