Franklin nursing home now has eight residents with COVID-19

Legacy Helathcare in Franklin, where officials learned Wednesday that a resident had tested positive for COVID-19, now has eight cases after five more positive results were reported Friday.

Coroner Eric Melancon, a physician, was on his way to the nursing home over the noon hour Friday to make sure anti-COVID protocols are in place.

"You've got to do what you can to prevent the spread," Melancon said.

No Legacy staff members are known to be infected, Melancon said.

The first case was a resident who had been taken to another facility for an examination. Screening there determined that the resident was COVID-19 positive, Melancon said.

Two more residents tested positive subsequently, and then the five positive tests were reported Friday.

Melancon said he has been able to direct samples from Legacy to Ocshner St. Mary in Morgan City, from where samples are sent to Ochsner in New Orleans and results are available in 24 hours. Commercial labs generally take days more because of a testing backlog.

Melancon is working with Dr. Chip Riggins, director of the Louisiana Department of Health's Region 3, to obtain the equipment needed for the one-day turnaround for Ochsner St. Mary.

Twenty-four of the 31 nursing homes in Region 3 have at least one confirmed case of COVID-19.