A woman hands off bouquets to a worker at Le Bleu Chateau. Senior care facilities there have had a total of more than 70 residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 as of this week, according to the county health department.
As coronavirus cases continue to skyrocket in Burbank, several senior care facilities in the city have reported outbreaks and deaths, according to a county health agency.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health dashboard on Thursday listed 10 Burbank residential congregate and acute care facilities with COVID-19 outbreaks, a term that, in the county’s usage, can vary in meaning depending on the type of facility. Some locations in Burbank, the county reported, had fewer than 10 cases among residents and staff, but a few had many more.
Two Le Bleu Chateau facilities, for example, reported that more than 70 residents had tested positive for COVID-19. A total of 11 staff members at the assisted living facilities also had the disease, and seven deaths were reported to be linked to the outbreaks, though the county reports only a single total for staff and resident deaths. The county reported an outbreak at the first facility on Nov. 30, and at the second facility on Dec. 11. Both have remained on the outbreak list since. Public Health usually removes facilities from the list once the outbreak is over, but has sometimes been slow to do so.
Administrators at Le Bleu Chateau did not respond to the Leader’s requests for comment on whether the outbreaks were under control. Public Health was asked when the outbreak at the facilities began, but an answer was not provided by press deadline.
Sixteen residents tested positive for the virus at Evergreen Retirement, according to the Public Health dashboard on Thursday, with two deaths. The retirement home has been on the outbreak list since Dec. 25. Four local Ambitions locations, which provide residential support to adults with developmental disabilities, have also had outbreaks, for a total of six resident cases, 20 staff cases and one death. The first location has been listed since Dec. 16.
County health officials have said they hope to have coronavirus vaccinations available for those working in residential and sheltering facilities and services, as well as for people between the ages of 64 and 74, starting sometime in February. However, that scenario, which is determined by state distribution guidance, depends on the supply of vaccines.
Those groups are included in what the state calls Tier 2 of Phase 1B. Tier 1 of the same phase includes people 75 and older, as well as those who are at risk of exposure to COVID-19 due to their work in education, food and agriculture, child care and emergency services.
The county is currently in Phase 1A, meaning only front-line health-care workers and residents at long-term care facilities are being offered vaccines.
Outbreaks at several non-residential facilities, primarily stores, restaurants and production studios, have also contributed to Burbank’s coronavirus case count. Out of the 12 outbreaks at Burbank locations listed on Public Health’s website, 155 COVID-19 cases were reported among staff members; no cases were reported for non-staff members.
There were 59 coronavirus cases linked to an outbreak at Senior Aerospace SSP, Public Health said. The agency also said about a dozen cases were attributed to each outbreak at local Warner Bros. television productions — one for “Lucifer” and the other for “Young Sheldon.”
An outbreak at Porto’s Bakery and Cafe was also linked to a dozen coronavirus cases among staff members, with a handful of other cases attributed to outbreaks at arts and crafts store Michaels on North Victory Place and Sprouts Farmers Market on North San Fernando Boulevard.
