Fifth GlenCare resident dies
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on November 8, 2010 1:48 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- A fifth resident of GlenCare has died of complications related to hepatitis B, while findings have been released from one of the earlier deaths by the state's medical examiner's office.
Last month, the state announced that since August, five residents at the assisted living facility had tested positive for hepatitis B virus, and four of those had died over the span of three months.
Since then, two additional lab-confirmed cases have been reported.
Wayne County Health Department and the state's Division of Public Health are investigating the cause of the outbreak.
GlenCare also issued a statement at the outset that it was cooperating with the investigation.
State officials confirmed there had been several complaints filed against the facility, although each case proved unsubstantiated.
The outcome of the investigation into the infections is anticipated soon, but meanwhile state officials indicated that a common denominator has been found among those who have tested positive. Each resident reportedly had diabetes, with medical devices used among patients being a possible contributor.
The latest death, of a 71-year-old white man, happened Friday. He had been hospitalized nearly two weeks ago at Wayne Memorial Hospital.
One of the earlier cases, the death of a 70-year-old black man, had been turned over to the state's medical examiner. A copy of the investigative report was released Friday.
According to the report, the resident died on Aug. 30, at which time the medical examiner was notifed. No autopsy was done, but the manner of death was listed as natural.
"This is a 70-year-old male found minimally responsive at the nursing home. He was evaluated in the hospital emergency department at Wayne Memorial Hospital. He was found to have hepatic encephalopathy with a quite high evaluated pneumonia level," the report said. "The patient quickly deteriorated and failed resuscitative measures and died."
The report also mentioned a past medical history "complicated by Type II diabetes, chronic renal insufficiency, depression, hypertensive disease and COPD. Remote history of alcohol and drug abuse."
Cause of death was listed as hepatorenal failure, with contributing issues for diabetes and hypertensive disease.
Calls to Glenn Kornegay, president, and Anne Kornegay, vice president, at the company's corporate office in Kenansville were not returned.