Adventist Health Lodi (Calif.) Memorial Hospital has temporarily suspended admission of non-COVID-19 patients as it manages an increase in the number of cases among staff, according to TV station KPIX.
On June 20, the hospital said fewer than 30 workers had tested positive for COVID-19 in the past seven days. The hospital didn't release specific numbers but said most of the positive cases are isolated to one unit. All employees will be tested over the next 14 days to identify any additional cases, according to the report.
"The safety and well-being of our nurses, associates, physicians and patients are our top priority," Patricia Iris, MD, medical officer at Adventist Health Lodi, said in a June 20 news release, according to the report. "Despite strict safety protocols, training and use of personal protective equipment, more of our staff began testing positive this week. As a result, we decided to test all associates working in the hospital to give us a more complete understanding of the spread."
The hospital's emergency department and clinics are open while non-COVID-19 admissions are suspended. Patients who do not have COVID-19 and need to be admitted to a hospital will be sent to Dameron Hospital in Stockton, Calif., according to the News-Sentinel.