BUCYRUS — A resident at Altercare facility in Bucyrus, who had recently tested positive forCOVID-19, has passed away.

This statement is from Gregory R. Colaner, president of Altercare Integrated Health Services.

We are sad beyond words and we extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of our cherished resident.We know that complications from COVID-19 can result in severe symptoms, hospitalization, admission to an intensive care unit, and in some cases can be fatal, especially among the vulnerable population we serve.

That is why we have stringent precautions in place — such as visitor restrictions — to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect our residents and staff. We will do everything in our power to contain the spread of this virus and below are some facts regarding our approach to handling COVID-19 amid the pandemic:

• Evaluating Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) inventory daily to ensure appropriate supply is available.
• Conducting contracted disinfection and cleaning treatments throughout the building, in addition to cleaning protocols already in place.
• Deploying negative-pressure air systems to further support infection control protocols.
• Working closely with our home office, subject matter experts and consultants to ensure we comply with CDC best practices.

We are cooperating with the local and state departments of health.

In deference to the family’s privacy, we will not be sharing the name of the deceased publicly.

“On behalf of the entire Crawford County community, we express our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of this individual. This death reminds us that although we are doing relatively well compared to other parts of the nation, we must continue to practice social distancing, increased hand-washing, and increased cleaning of frequently touched surfaces to help reduce the spread of this virus,” said Dr. Chris Johnson, Crawford County Public Health medical director.