Artesia General Hospital (AGH) is dispelling rumors today that its emergency room and operating room are closed due to an employee testing positive for COVID-19.
AGH issued the following statement this afternoon:
“Rumors that the Artesia General Hospital ER and OR are closed due to COVID-19 are not accurate.
“COVID-19 cases have spiked both regionally and in the Artesia community. As a result of community spread, we have a confirmed positive case among Artesia General Hospital staff.
“Patient safety has been paramount at AGH. From the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve undertaken extraordinary measures to make sure our patients are safe. For example, all AGH staff are checked daily for symptoms of COVID-19, and staff involved in direct patient care are checked twice daily. In addition to the twice-daily checks, all OR staff are tested for COVID-19 on a regular basis. We even changed air flow and routes through the hospital to keep patients who might have COVID-19 physically separated from patients who don’t.
“Throughout the pandemic, we have been vigilant, and we continue to monitor the situation closely.
“Artesia General Hospital continues to provide services in all departments and anticipates doing so on a continuing basis, along with emphasizing mask wearing and social distancing throughout the facility for the safety of all.”
