Public health officials warned Monday of a worsening COVID-19 outbreak at Hilltop House, a community corrections and rehabilitation center in Durango.
As of Monday, the halfway house had 25 residents and six employees with confirmed cases of the coronavirus, according to a news release from San Juan Basin Public Health. One resident has died in connection with the outbreak, SJBPH said.
An outbreak was first confirmed Nov. 28 at Hilltop House. At the time, 15 residents and four staff members tested positive for the virus. Around that time, the health department received a verified complaint about inadequate infection-control practices at the center.
Hilltop House, located at 1050 Avenida del Sol in west Durango, provides transitional housing to parolees and criminal offenders who are required to work and earn income while living in the community.
Upon learning of the outbreak, SJBPH and Hilltop House management took action to limit further spread of the disease and involved the Colorado Department of Public Safety, which regulates community corrections. The state’s Staffing Shortage Fusion Center, which provides staff assistance to residential facilities, was also notified.
SJBPH and the state are providing infection control guidance to Hilltop management. The health department said Hilltop “has cooperated with the outbreak investigation and is taking all appropriate measures to stop spread of the virus.”
Efforts to reach the executive director of Hilltop were unsuccessful Monday night.
Additional cases may be confirmed as the outbreak investigation continues.
The largest outbreak to date in the region involves Four Corners Health Care Center, a nursing home at 2911 Junction St. in Durango, where 92 residents and 55 staff members have tested positive for the virus, and seven residents have died.
SJBPH has worked to prevent outbreaks at living centers with high concentrations of residents, such as jails, halfway houses and nursing homes.
“We hope that with quick action on the part of SJBPH and Hilltop House management, this outbreak will be quickly contained and resolved,” said Liane Jollon, executive director of SJBPH, in the release. “With the virus so prevalent in our community, it remains critical that people take the virus seriously, stop socializing outside their households, wear face masks in public and at work, monitor their symptoms, and get tested if they are feeling any symptoms of COVID-19.
“We know these steps can help protect more vulnerable populations such as those living in congregate facilities,” she said.
shane@durangoherald.com
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