Deadliest Covid-19 outbreak at US care facility kills 68 veterans

Coronavirus pandemic has taken the lives 68veterans at a care facility in Massachusettsveterans' home

It is the deadliest known outbreak ata long-term care facilityin the United States.

82 residents and 81 employees have also been tested positive.

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While the death toll at the state-run Holyoke Soldiers’ Home continues to climb, federal officials are investigating whether residents were denied proper medical care and the state’s top prosecutor is deciding whether to bring legal action.

According to Joan Miller, a nurse at the home, ''staffing problems that plagued the home for years contributed to the virus spreading like wildfire.''

''Workers from one unit were constantly moving to others to help out and bringing their germs with them,'' she added.

At one point, a unit was shut down because there wasn’t enough staff to operate it, and those veterans were moved into close quarters in other parts of the building.

The home’s superintendent,Bennett Walsh, wasplaced on administrative leave, after he said thatstate officials knew that the home was in ''crisis mode''when it came to staffing shortages and were notified early and often about the contagion at the facility.

There were nearly 230 residents living at the home in late March and only about 100 remained on Monday.