Staff COVID case at Wesley Health Care Center in Saratoga Springs

PHOTOGRAPHER: Erica Miller

This 2020 photo shows The Wesley Community, a senior living facility, off Lawrence Street in Saratoga Springs.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Wesley Health Care Center was notified Tuesday of a staff member testing positive for COVID-19, according to a letter sent to residents, family and staff Tuesday from administrator Jessica Florio.

The person has not been on site since July 18 and Wesley considers the risk to residents and staff to be low. However, the state Department of Health directed them to begin outbreak testing and suspend all visitation except in imminent end-of-life cases, until at least one set of facility-wide testing is done. That testing is set for Wednesday morning, the letter said.

The Department of Health also told Wesley to discontinue use of common areas, such as dining, group therapy and other group activities, in order to keep residents in their rooms until the first round of testing is completed, according to Florio’s letter.

If the first testing does not reveal any cases in an area/unit, then visitation can resume there. Florio said in the letter to expect further guidance as results are received in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Additional facility-wide resident testing will be done on the next two Mondays, Aug. 2 and Aug. 9.