Caddo County Nursing Home Reports Third Coronavirus (COVID-19) Death

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt said he’s mobilizing the Oklahoma National Guard to respond to COVID-19 outbreaks at nursing homes.

The Oklahoma Health Department reported nearly 500 nursing home residents and staff across the state have tested positive for the coronavirus. 

The department reported 45 nursing home residents have died from the virus, including one from Binger Nursing and Rehab in Caddo County. According to the facility’s Facebook page, three COVID-19 patients have died there. Those cases should be part of the State Health Department’s update, which is expected to be released Monday morning.

The Binger Nursing and Rehab administrator, Stephanie Warner, said she and her staff were constantly working with residents’ families to figure out the best way to protect them.

Warner said it’s not as simple as removing the residents from the home, because many of them have other serious health issues like Dementia.

She said moving them would do more harm than good.

So far, Grace Living Center in Norman has 74 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths.  

Governor Stitt said re-enforcements are on the way.

“We are also starting to be laser focused on our nursing homes and long-term care facilities” said Gov. Stitt.

He also said medics and decontamination experts have been called to deep clean facilities and train workers.

The Oklahoma National Guard said it will release its nursing home plan early this week.