Cumberland County nursing home reports nearly 90 COVID-19 cases

87 coronavirus cases have been linked to one Cumberland County nursing home. The majority of those cases are among residents, according to data from the state Department of Health and Human Services.
Posted 12/22/2021, 5:32:00 PM Updated 12/23/2021, 1:30:02 AM

FACILITIES IN WAKE, WAYNE, AND

CUMBERLAND COUNTIES TOPPING THE

LIST.

>>> AN EMPLOYEE IN CUMBERLAND

COUNTY WHO RECENTLY TESTED

POSITIVE SPOKE EXCLUSIVELY WITH

OUR GILBERT BAEZ ABOUT THE

CONDITIONS INSIDE.

>> Reporter: THE STATE JUST

UPDATED THE NUMBERS LAST NIGHT,

BUT WE GOT A TIP TWO WEEKS AGO

THAT THERE WAS AN OUTBREAK OF

COVID-19 HERE AT THE CAROLINA

REHAB CENTER OF CUMBERLAND.

>> YOU WERE IN PEOPLES HOMES.

THEY ARE NOT BEING TREATED

RIGHT.

>> Reporter: THAT'S THE

DISTORTED VOICE OF THE EMPLOYEE

OF CAROLINA REHAB OF CUMBERLAND

COUNTY.

THE PERSON AGREED TO THE

INTERVIEW IF THEIR NAME WAS NOT

USED.

ACCORDING TO THE STATE 73

RESIDENTS AND 14 EMPLOYEES HAVE

TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.

WE'RE TOLD TWO RESIDENTS

REPORTEDLY DIED.

THE EMPLOYEE WHO SPOKE TO ME IS

ONE OF THE 14 RECOVERING FROM

THE VIRUS.

>> I FEEL BETTER AND EVERYTHING

LIKE I SAID I HAD SYMPTOMS THE

FIRST FEW DAYS AND EVERYTHING,

BUT NOW I'M DOING BETTER.

>> Reporter: THE EMPLOYEE WAS

FULLY VACCINATED AND HAD A

BOOSTER SHOT, BUT SAID

CONDITIONS INSIDE THE REHAB

CENTER MAKE IT A PLACE WHERE

COVID-19 CAN EASILY SPREAD.

WHILE THE STATE

REPORTED THE NUMBERS TUESDAY,

THE EMPLOYEE TELLS ME THE

OUTBREAK HAS BEEN GOING ON

INSIDE THE REHAB CENTER FOR SOME

TIME.

>> I'M GOING TO SAY IT'S BEEN

ABOUT A MONTH.

>> AND WHY HAVEN'T THEY REPORTED

IT TO THE STATE?

>> I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THEY NEVER

REPORTED IT.

>> Reporter: HOW BAD IS IT

INSIDE THE BUILDING?

>> REALLY BAD.

THEY CHANGE ROOMS EVERY DAY.

THE PLACE IS NOT BEING DEEP

CLEANED, SANITIZED, OR

ANYTHING.

THEY ARE JUST CHANGING ROOMS,

PUTTING THE POSITIVES WITH THE

NEGATIVES, JUST MOVING PEOPLE

ALL AROUND.

>> Reporter: HILL'S GRANDMOTHER

IS ONE OF THE TWO PATIENTS WHO

DIED.

HE WAS TOLD TO VISIT HIS

GRANDMOTHER AT HIS OWN RISK.

>> THE FACILITY IS UNDER

STAFFED, THEY'RE NOT KEEPING IT

REAL.

THEY'RE NOT TELLING ME WHAT'S

GOING ON.

>> Reporter: WE'VE REACHED OUT

TO THE MANAGEMENT HERE AT THE

CAROLINA REHAB CENTER TO FIND

OUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO

CONTROL THE VIRUS.

WE HAVE YET TO HEAR BACK FROM