GARDENA — South Bay Keiro Nursing Home in Gardena announced Tuesday that a recent outbreak of respiratory illness has been cleared up.
Administrator Howard Hiyoshida sent the following notice to residents’ families:
“As you know, South Bay Keiro Nursing Home was affected by the respiratory illness that affected many health care and nursing home facilities throughout Southern California. We are pleased to inform you that South Bay Keiro Nursing Home has been cleared of its respiratory infections by the Los Angeles Public Health Department and is now open to admissions and readmissions.
“There are still new cases of dry cough without fever, so we encourage all visitors and staff to continue using respiratory precautions when interacting with symptomatic residents. Disposable masks are available at the nursing stations.
“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu activity continues to increase in three Western states, including California. The Los Angeles County Public Health Department reported that flu activity in the county is the highest it has been in four years. Please take extra precaution to safeguard your health and the health of our residents by following the infection control procedures posted in the facility.
“We encourage all visitors to wash their hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after resident contact, or use the hand sanitizers. As always, please refrain from visiting if you have symptoms of a cold or the flu. Reminders will be posted at the entrances …
“We are making every effort to prevent recurrence of the illness and appreciate your cooperation and understanding.If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Juliet Martinez, director of nursing, at (310) 354-6261 or jmartinez@keiro.org.”