18 Additional COVID-19 Cases at St. Patrick’s Manor

FRAMINGHAM – The City of Framingham is reporting 18 additional cases of COVID-19 at St. Patrick’s Manor in Framingham, as of Thursday, April 23.

Saint Patrick’s Manor Administrator Sister Maureen D. McDonough in an email to SOURCE on April 19 said 17 residents and 6 staffers have tested positive for COVID-19. She also said on April 19, another dozen residents were awaiting test results.

With 18 more positive coronaviruses from the City, that could mean the facility has more than 40 cases.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts said the manor is licensed for 333 beds.

SOURCE emailed Sister Maureen McDonough yesterday, April 23 and she has yet to answer the email as of 11 a.m. today.

SOURCE was seeking specifically the number of residents positive and the number of staffers positive for the virus, as well as if every resident and staffer has been tested.

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“We continue to be transparent and are in daily contact with the Department Public Health,” wrote Sister Maureen to SOURCE on April 19.

“The safety and health of our residents and employees remains our top priority.  As such, Saint Patrick’s Manor continues to follow all CDC, Department of Health and CMS guidance as it pertains to containing and managing the COVID-19 virus,” said McDonough, in a statement on April 10, when SOURCE published one resident and two staffers had tested positive for the coronavirus.

When several residents and employees began to show symptoms associated with COVID-19, the Massachusetts National Guard was brought to the Central Street facility in Framingham for testing, said Sister Maureen.

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“All infection control protocols for isolation and quarantine issued by CDC and the Department of Health are in place and closely monitored.  We are actively monitoring our residents and employees for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and are working with local and state health department,” said the administrator for St. Patrick’s Manor, back on April 10.

“Saint Patrick’ s Manor remains diligent in the management of this situation and will keep our residents, families and employees updated as needed,” said Sister McDonough. “We ask for your continued prayers for all who are in this crisis.”

Located at 863 Central Street, St. Patrick’s Manor provides long-term care, short-term rehabilitation, memory care, Alzheimer’s care and transitional care

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Saint Patrick’s Manor in Framingham is not the only nursing, senior, or long-term facility with many positive cases.

AARP Massachusetts sent a letter to the Massachusetts Governor this month seeking the names of senior facilities with confirmed COVID-19 cases made public.

“We urge Massachusetts’ Department of Public Health to release publicly the names of nursing facilities with confirmed COVID-19 cases,” wrote AARP Massachusetts on behalf of its 775,000 AARP members in Massachusetts.

“Contrary to concerns that such disclosures would violate a patient’s health privacy, we do not believe HIPAA precludes a state health agency from releasing the names of facilities because a facility is not a covered entity as defined by federal law. We believe transparency and notice to the public is critical for public health,” wrote AARP Massachusetts.

Earlier this week, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a bill that would requires that senior, rehab, and long-term facilities send data on COVID-19 positive cases and on mortalities to public health officials during this public health emergency.

The bill now goes to the Massachusetts Senate.

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