Eastwood Nursing Center reports COVID-19 case

Eastwood Nursing Center reports COVID-19 case


Eastwood administrators Lee Johnson  could not be reached for comment prior to Journal press time this morning.



MARQUETTE — Eastwood Nursing Center has mandated widespread testing after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.

According to a Facebook post from the facility’s page on Friday, the 100-bed skilled nursing facility in Negaunee had been testing asymptomatic employees on a voluntary basis within the last couple of weeks.

Dozens of the tests administered came back negative, but one employee, who reportedly works in the laundry and has no direct contact with residents, tested positive for the disease.

“We have contacted all of our employees who have had known contact with this employee and they are all scheduled to be tested today,” the post states. “We have four employees who also have worked closely with this employee, who were tested voluntarily and their test results were all negative.”

As of about 5 p.m. Sunday, the page reports that 46 employees have tested negative with 22 other test results pending. Superior Walk-In Clinic was reportedly testing other employees on Sunday.

The facility is in the process of testing the residents, the post on Sunday stated.

Five residents at Eastwood who had been tested prior to Sunday came back negative, the post states.

“We are all set to test most or our residents tomorrow but are still waiting on a couple of consents that we will get taken care of in the morning. We currently have enough test kits to test all of our residents and 25 additional employees,” the post states. “We have 236 test kits expected to arrive on Monday or Tuesday from our lab partner NxGen MDx out of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and will be testing through the week. We have also heard that the National Guard will be able to assist with testing our employees some time next week but we do not have a set date yet. More information to come tomorrow as we get test results in.”

Eastwood employs over 190 people, including 35 nurses, 80 nursing assistants, 25 dietary staff, 30 environmental services staff, and 10 in administration, according to the facility’s webpage.