A recent COVID-19 outbreak at St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way has resulted in positive cases among at least 17 patients and 10 employees as of Feb. 2.
The positive cases were discovered out of more than 400 tests, according to a Feb. 3 news release by CHI Franciscan.
While a majority of the patients were located on the first floor surgical unit, five patients who recently tested positive were on the third floor, the hospital said.
“The current cases under investigation are specific to inpatient units at St. Francis Hospital,” the release said. “The outpatient unit of the hospital is separate, and we are limiting staff who transfer between inpatient and outpatient units in light of the current positive cases.”
CHI Franciscan learned of the outbreak on Jan. 26 and immediately shut down new admissions to the surgical unit. The organization mandated COVID-19 tests for all perioperative and first surgical staff members, along with all employees and physicians who interacted with patients or were on the first surgical floor for more than 15 minutes between Jan. 11 and Jan. 26.
The previous seven cases were discovered in patients who had initially tested negative upon admission to the hospital.
A few days after one Federal Way patient went to the St. Francis Hospital emergency room on Jan. 23, she received a letter stating she may have been exposed to COVID-19. The woman and her husband, both in their late 70s, had waited in the emergency room prior to receiving care. On Feb. 1, they both tested positive for COVID-19.
“At first, we didn’t take [the letter] seriously because there was no phone call. If it was serious, we would have received a phone call,” said the woman’s daughter, who spoke with the Mirror under anonymity due to fears that her mother may face repercussions from the hospital. “This outbreak is more widespread than what they’re saying.”
A spokesperson for St. Francis Hospital said written notifications are often sent to a broad group who were in the hospital during the time frame where there may be potential for exposure, out of an abundance of caution.
Letters are mailed as soon as possible to patients, the spokesperson added.
Beginning this week, St. Francis expanded COVID-19 testing to additional departments “out of an abundance of caution,” the company said.
Admissions to the first floor Surgical Unit have resumed, and all COVID-19 patients are being cohorted on the third floor to limit staff interactions between positive and non-positive patients as contact tracing and testing staff and employees continues.
“Throughout the pandemic, Federal Way has experienced high incidences of COVID-19 in the community. Despite our best efforts to prevent the spread of the virus, hospitals and health care workers are not immune,” said Cary Evans, vice president for Communications and Government Affairs, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health.
St. Francis staff are continuing to maintain deep cleaning of the unit, and assessing potential reschedules for all currently scheduled inpatient procedures.
Any employee who tests positive will be contact-traced to determine workplace exposures and will quarantine appropriately, according to the hospital’s management. All employees are screened for symptoms before each shift, and any employee with symptoms should stay home without exception.
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