'There's a huge number of cases spreading': Nursing homes see surge in COVID-19 cases

as calls for help grow.
The latest surge led to Gov. Larry Hogan requiring nursing home staff to be tested twice a week starting Jan. 21.

Nursing homes around the country have seen a deeply troubling surge of COVID-19 cases as the omicron variant continues to bring concerns and outbreaks.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 89,304 COVID-19 cases among nursing home residents and staff the week of Jan. 9. The amount of positive cases increased nine times the amount recorded three weeks prior, which was recorded at 10,280 cases.

The surge in COVID illnesses came as many nursing homes continue to deal with staffing shortages.

According to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released this past November, nursing homes have lost around 234,000 employees since the pandemic began.

With the amount of cases spiraling upwards, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) recently pleaded for help from health leaders.

"What happens in the community happens in nursing homes," AHCA/NCAL Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Gifford said. "We’re still seeing people get sick, going to the hospital and dying. We need help with staffing, we need help with medications, and we need help with test kits.”

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