Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1548811.015 - Sacred Heart Home Health, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Corpus Christi Area Office

Investigation Summary

An employee was working as a health aide for a firm that provided home health care services. She worked seven days a week, approximately five hours a day, with one client. She worked as an attendant, providing personal assistance services to the client at the client's place of residence. Her employer provided face covers and N-95s to all the attendants to wear while providing services to clients. On August 4, 2021, the employee reported to management that she was not feeling well. On August 7, 2021, the employee reported to management that she had gone to the emergency room and had tested positive for COVID-19. She was provided with a breathing treatment and then released. At approximately 8:30 a.m. on August 19, 2021, a friend of the employee's notified management via phone that the employee had died from COVID-19. The employer reported the fatality to OSHA at approximately 3:30 p.m. on that same day. The employee had no known work-related contact with anyone who exhibited signs or symptoms of COVID-19. This employee was the first employee to report feeling ill and to be later confirmed to have a fatal case of COVID-19. The employee's contact activity with the general public was not known. The employee did not have any next of kin. The employee was obese and was not vaccinated for COVID-19. The employer was unable to provide further information on the employee's health. The fatality was determined to be not work-related. The CDC reported 3,863 new confirmed cases and 23 fatalities due to COVID-19 from August 4, 2021, to August 19, 2021, in the county where the employee was located.

Keywords: Infectious Disease