Case Counts in Nursing Homes/Congregate Living Facilities

The Kent County Health Department continues to work closely with the Maryland Department of Health to support COVID-19 preparedness and response capacity in all nursing home facilities.

Since releasing initial information regarding the outbreak at Autumn Lake Healthcare in Chestertown, all Local Health Departments have been provided policy guidance from the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), and it is our intent to follow that guidance.

Per the MDH guidance, Local Health Departments will not routinely disclose identifying information about nursing homes or other congregate living facilities in which residents and/or staff have tested positive for COVID-19. The disclosure of this information serves no public health purpose and could lead to the identification of specific persons who have tested positive for the disease.

Cases of COVID-19 are closely monitored by public health authorities across Maryland, and the State continues to evaluate additional measures to protect the public and the facilities’ residents and staff. If further actions are needed to protect the public’s health and/or residents and staff of these facilities, the State will take those actions. If the disclosure of specific information is needed to protect the public’s health and/or residents and staff of these facilities, it will be disclosed.

Aggregate county data can be found at Coronavirus.maryland.gov, updated daily during the 10:00 am hour.

The confidentiality provisions in sections 18-201, 18-202, and 18-205 of the Health-General Article are the provisions that support the disclosure statement.