Chautauqua Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

COVID-19 numbers are beginning to become alarming at the Chautauqua Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Dunkirk. According to a spokeswoman for the location, there have been 34 positive tests involving employees while 40 of the residents are also battling the infection over the last two weeks.

“The safety and health of Chautauqua Nursing and Rehabilitation Center residents and staff is, and always has been, of paramount importance,” said Dawn M. Harsch, director of corporate communications for VestraCare, which owns the facility. “Throughout the pandemic, we have maintained open channels of communication with family members and worked diligently to meet staff education thresholds regarding important topics such as infection control, proper use of PPE, ways to stay safe outside of the workplace and more. These efforts, coupled with our evidence-based clinical practices, allow us to assess residents’ emergent needs and incorporate proactive measures into their care on a daily basis.”

Harsch also said 10 other staff members have been furloughed due to a member of their household testing positive for the virus. Residents at the home, she said “are receiving expert COVID-foused treatment.”

News of the increasing cases, reported only in the OBSERVER and The Post-Journal, came to light over the weekend when family members began reaching out to these newspapers. For its part, the five-star rated facility, which employs nearly 300 people, responded quickly to inquiries regarding the situation.

According to current county statistics, there were 131 active COVID cases in the Dunkirk ZIP code through Wednesday.

Before being purchased by VestraCare, the Chautauqua Nursing & Rehabilitation Center served as the Chautauqua County Home for many years. Legislators approved the sale, which became official, in 2014.

This story will be updated with comment from family members in the Friday edition.