A patient receiving treatment from the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services has died of complications from COVID-19, the department confirmed Thursday.
DMHAS said the person was a patient at Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown, and was taken to an acute care hospital for treatment of the virus, where they died. This is the first death involving an inpatient at a DMHAS psychiatric hospital.
“Sadly, we are not immune to the devastation of coronavirus. The family and health care providers of this patient are in our thoughts and prayers as they deal with the devastating loss of their loved one. We will provide support to the family in any way possible," Commissioner Miriam Delphin-Rittmon wrote in a press statement.
DHMAS reports that 51 inpatients receiving treatment at their facilities have tested positive for COVID-19. Of those, 41 are patients at Connecticut Valley Hospital. Nine patients from the facility have recovered, DMHAS said.
Fifty-seven staff members across the system have also tested positive, and 22 of them have recovered and returned to work, officials said.
| Laboratory Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 | Laboratory Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 | |
| In-Patients | DMHAS Staff | |
| Connecticut Valley Hospital | 41 | 26 |
| Whiting Forensic Hospital | 10 | 17 |
| Capitol Regional Mental Health Center | 0 | 1 |
| Connecticut Mental Health Center | 0 | 4 |
| River Valley Services | 0 | 1 |
| Southeast Mental Health Authority | 0 | 1 |
| Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System | 0 | 4 |
| Western Connecticut Mental Health Network | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 51 | 57 |
DMHAS oversees over 760 mental health and substance use beds across the state.
DMHAS said it has taken the following steps to protect patients and staff at their inpatient units:
- Utilizing spaces in all state-operated facilities to be used for the isolation of patients with COVID-19;
- Distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) including n95 masks, surgical masks, gowns, gloves and hand sanitizer to all state-operated facilities;
- Using quarantine and isolation protocols for patients and staff that have been reviewed and approved by the Department of Public Health;
- Restricting visitors from DMHAS facilities;
- Conducting health screenings of all individuals who enter DMHAS facilities, including staff and clients;
- Directing staff who are symptomatic or have been in close contact with individuals suspected of or having COVID-19 to stay home and self-quarantine to prevent infecting clients and other staff;
- Briefly suspending admissions in DMHAS inpatient services where community providers have capacity to absorb patents;
- Temporarily reducing bed capacities in certain units across the system in order to maintain proper social distancing requirements;
- Re-allocating critical staff in order to expand our capacity to isolate COVID patients
- Continuing planning to accommodate COVID-19 surge; and,
- Continuing use of acute care general hospital settings to provide care for patients with serious medical conditions.
