MACON, Ga. — PruittHealth Macon is still reporting that a total of 76 patients and staff have tested positive for COVID-19. According to their website, about 10 test results are still pending.
While the nursing home waits on those tests to come back, a lot of families are waiting on answers themselves.
On Tuesday, someone from PruittHealth called Linda Crawford and said her mother tested negative for the virus.
After not seeing her mom for more than a month due to their mandated facility lockdown, she was glad to hear mom was doing alright.
"Then I saw the story on channel 13 about the 68 patients that tested positive, and I was flabbergasted. I had no idea that they had that many positive cases, and they certainly didn't tell me anything like that. They just said, 'Your mother is OK,'" says Crawford.
Since then, Crawford says she hasn't been able to talk to anyone about how this happened or how they're keeping healthy patients like her mom safe.
Janice Williams says when she finally did get a nurse on the phone Wednesday, she learned her father wasn't even at the facility.
"She said, 'Well, your daddy is in the hospital.' I said, 'Y'all didn't call me and let me know?' Then when I called up to the hospital, that's when they told me he had COVID19," says Williams.
Pruitt's Senior Vice President of communications Tonja Bridges says the Macon staff contacted the families of each patient before and after COVID-19 testing.
Carmen Liddell says she received a voicemail Monday that said her twin brother contracted coronavirus, but couldn't reach anyone for more information for nearly three days.
"I am helpless. My brother could be very ill or even dying," says Liddell.
Late Thursday afternoon ,Liddell said a Pruitt rep finally called her and provided an update on her brother.
Crawford has spoken to her own mother, too, but she still wants answers from administration.
"Obviously, something is not going right there. Either they're not cleaning sufficiently or don't have enough staff. I don't know what the problem is, but I would like to know," says Crawford.
PruittHealth says the Georgia National guard has already cleaned the facility twice, and now PruittHealth is installing air scrubbers and isolation units for patients with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis.
Michael Hokanson with the the North Central Health District says an epidemiologist is working with Pruitt to investigate the outbreak, but they cannot release details on the investigation right now.
PruittHealth says if you have questions, you can call their Emergency Operations Line at 855-742-5983.
(Three families we've spoken to this week contacted 13WMAZ's Chelsea Beimfohr late Thursday and report they have now received status updates on their loved ones from PruittHealth).
FACTS NOT FEAR | At 13WMAZ, we’re focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the coronavirus. To see our full coverage, visit our site section here: www.13wmaz.com/Coronavirus.
STAY UPDATED | Click here to subscribe to our Midday Minute newsletter and receive the latest headlines and information in your inbox every day.
Have a news tip? Email news@13wmaz.com, or visit our Facebook page.