Riverside Healthcare confirmed 17 cases of COVID-19 among residents of the Miller Center facility in Kankakee. The confirmation came tonight in a release from Kankakee County Health Department officials a full eight days after reports first surfaced about an outbreak at the facility on April 8th.
“I want you to know the strength of our entire system is being brought to bear on the situation,” said Riverside President and CEO Phil Kambit. “Our leadership at the facility and throughout the Riverside continuum are working seamlessly around the clock to further protect and care for these residents.”
To date, 17 residents are in isolation in a newly converted negative pressure hall. Family members of residents have been notified by Miller staff. At maximum, the area will have the ability to treat 55 residents in negative pressure isolation, if needed.
Following the first reports last Wednesday, Country Herald reached out to both Riverside Healthcare representatives and Kankakee County Health Department officials who declined to give any response to the community on the initial report.
At the time, there were only a reported 10 cases of COVID-19 at Riverside’s Miller Center.
Over 50% of Kankakee County’s cases currently come from congregated-living facilities, including Shapiro Developmental Center in Kankakee.
