Death reported at Wichita care facility identified as COVID-19 cluster, officials say

One resident at a long-term care facility in Wichita that has been identified as a COVID-19 cluster has died, officials said Thursday.

The person had a pre-existing health condition.

Two staff members and five residents have tested positive at Ultra Care Home Plus at 2355 S. Bedford, according to a joint news release from the facility and the Sedgwick County Health Department. The staff members and other four residents have recovered from the disease and are symptom-free.

“We perform COVID -19 testing proactively in order to identify individuals with the virus who might be asymptomatic,” facility operator Tolulpe Kadiri said in the release. “Our team continues to update and implement all precautions recommended by the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). We are grateful for the support from our community and families as we continue to provide care for the vulnerable in our community.”

Twenty-seven of the 50 identified clusters in Sedgwick County have been at long-term care facilities. Clusters are generally defined as two or more cases of COVID-19 with a common place and time.

Fifty-five of the county’s 93 deaths have come from long-term care facilities, according to Sedgwick County spokesperson Kate Flavin.

This story was originally published October 1, 2020 at 11:19 AM.