Lochearn Nursing Home Is Now Maryland’S Worst COVID-19 Outbreak

According to city officials, the FutureCare Lochearn nursing home in northwest Baltimore is the site of Maryland’s worst outbreak of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. The 200-bed nursing home reports that a staggering 129 residents have tested positive for COVID-19, along with 41 staff members as of Wednesday, April 15. The Lochearn facility is located in a primary hotspot for COVID-19 infection in Maryland, according to the Baltimore Sun.State health officials did not provide any indication that deaths have been reported at Lochearn. With 170 total cases, the FutureCare Lochearn facility joins the ranks of the country’s worst COVID-19 outbreak sites. According to Scott Dance of the Baltimore Sun:“…the cluster appears to be the second-largest in the country tied to nursing homes, behind only the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts, where 194 people have contracted the coronavirus, according to data collected by The New York Times. It is the eighth-largest coronavirus cluster in the country, behind only outbreaks on an aircraft carrier, in jails and prisons and at a pork processing plant, according to the data.

It surpasses the total at Pleasant View nursing home in Carroll County, where 81 residents and 39 staff have tested positive for COVID-19.”

Last week, Governor Hogan outlined a program to combat nursing home outbreaks with strike teams, consisting of National Guard and medical personnel, equipment, and supplies. One such strike team has been dispatched to the Lochearn facility.

Prior to the pandemic, the FutureCare Lochearn facility received an average grade (3 of 5 stars) in its Nursing Home Compare inspection report from Medicare. The inspection noted infractions related to sanitation that is classified as minor.

At Brown & Barron, LLC, we focus on representing nursing home residents who have been neglected or abused. Because we work directly with these cases, we’ve seen the toll that COVID-19 and other infections can take on nursing home populations, especially when understaffing and negligence play a role. If your loved ones have been abused or neglected in a nursing home setting, we invite you to reach out to our team for a consultation.

To learn more about how the coronavirus is affecting nursing homes and their residents, visit our blog. To contact our team, call (410) 698-1717 today for a consultation.