SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Some staying at Path Connections Housing, a homeless shelter in Downtown San Diego, said something was in the air.
A PATH Connections resident, Yolanda Dillard, said a COVID outbreak occurred. According to PATH San Diego, the virus outbreak is on the interim men's housing floor of PATH Connections Housing.
“It is Deja Vu all over again,” Velvet Anderson, a PATH Connections resident, said.
Kim McCray, another PATH Connections resident, said they learned about the outbreak Thursday morning because one of the caseworkers was their caseworker's boss.
“...So, you know, I asked him why he was running around like a chicken with his head cut off," McCray said. "And he kind of mentioned but didn’t go into detail."
PATH told ABC 10News that staff notified all interim housing residents about the outbreak Friday morning and tested every one on the men’s and women’s floors throughout the day. The non-profit also says the outbreak is isolated to the men’s floor, and those who are symptomatic are being quarantined.
As of Friday night, PATH said there are 21 confirmed cases, with four people showing symptoms and quarantining. The remaining 17 asymptomatic cases are isolating the best they can.
Additionally, anyone entering the building must wear a mask, and intake for the interim housing is on hold.
The non-profit also said interim housing residents were informed of the outbreak in person and that staff were in the process of putting up signs.
“Now I’m living on top of it. So, I’m in the fire, as it were,” Anderson said.
Anderson said she is a licensed nurse who works in a home care facility and is at the shelter after falling on tough times. She said she worries for the immunocompromised.
“I’m suffering from cancer and epilepsy. There are people that are going through dialysis. There are people that have severe, severe health problems that can’t breathe on oxygen tanks,” Andersen said. “And this is a dangerous situation. We either need to be in a hotel where it’s safe, or something better needs to happen with quarantine.”
Some are asking for more communication.
“The most that we’ve asked at least have a floor meeting. You know, you don’t have to give us specifics, but at least let us know. You know, that way, if somebody has a worry has a question, there’s a meeting to have it,”
In response to these concerns, PATH responded that it is working with the County Health Department, which was sending an infectious disease doctor and nurses to the site.
PATH added that it will follow their guidance on what to do moving forward as it follows the County guidelines and processes.
