6 nursing home residents dead from COVID-19 in Alameda Co.'s single largest known outbreak

HAYWARD, Calif. - On Wednesday, health officials announced six residents of a nursing home in Hayward have died from COVID-19. They’re among 35 residents and 24 staff members who contracted the virus in what could be the largest coronavirus outbreak in Alameda County.

It’s the single largest known outbreak in Alameda County.

The county health department put out a statement that said staff is conducting onsite visits and providing guidance to control the spread.

It was a grim scene outside Gateway Care and Rehabilitation Center in Hayward on Wednesday as workers wearing face masks and protective gear removed a body from the 99-bed facility.

It comes on the same day Alameda County health officials confirmed 35 residents had coronavirus, six of whom have passed away. Guadalupe Tafolla's wife works at Gateway.

“How many times she’s been telling her boss, 'You have to do something because a lot of people are sick over here,'” said Tafolloa. “They said everything is okay, nobody is positive and see how many people have died already.”

Tafolla said his wife is among the 24 staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19.

“She’s at home,” said Tafolla. “She’s okay. I’m glad she’s a healthy person. She takes care of herself all the time and she cannot come back to work.”

Jaime Patino visited his 84-year-old grandmother through a window. He and other families are growing anxious as the facility remains closed to visitors.

“Something like this, we should have been made aware of right away and I’m very upset that we were not,” said Patino.

KTVU reached out to Gateway. A woman who answered the main line said to prevent further spread, all residents who have tested positive have been placed on one side of the facility. She did not answer any more questions.

The county health department in a statement said, “We are working directly with the staff to ensure they receive sufficient amounts of personal protective equipment and training and have supported their staffing resource requests.”

“Honestly at the beginning of the pandemic, we were so worried about it,” said Merhdad Ayati, Stanford Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine. “I’m not surprised by it.”

Ayati, a medical advisor for many skilled nursing homes in the Bay Area, said the lack of protective gear is a concern. He said many residents have co-morbid conditions that puts them at high risk and is adamant massive testing needs to be done. If not, he’s worried the hospital system may be overwhelmed.

“My fear is that if we don't do anything today the majority of the people at the skilled nursing homes, they are going to be at the point they are going to be transferred to the hospital,” said Ayati.

Alameda County Health officials said they’re tracking suspected cases of COVID-19 at long-term care facilities throughout the county and have established a task force to address the needs of these facilities.