Nine deaths at "Tut" Fann Veterans Home

Nine deaths at "Tut" Fann Veterans Home

To know about in your area.

The waay 31 i-team confirmed today 7 residents have died at floyd "e" tut fann stat veteran's home in huntsville in the last two weeks.

And at some point, 4 of them tested positive for coronavirus!

We pressed the state all week about what is going on inside the home after announcing more than two dozen active covid cases - but said no one had died from coronavirus.

A family and an employee told us that wasn't true.

Waay 31's sydney martin learned more about what's going on inside the home.

On friday, the alabama department of veterans affairs told me it's waiting on the department of public health to confirm the cause of death of 7 residents at tut fann in the last two weeks.

Hmr veterans services, an outside group that oversees day to day operations at tut fann, confirmed the deaths an employee told the i-team about earlier in the week.

The alabama veteran's affairs office said it can take more than 2 weeks from when a death is reported until the state department of public health rules it a covid related death.

H-m-r veterans services also said 2 employees at tut fann also recently died.

The state v-a said one of those employees tested positive for covid 6 weeks prior to their death.

H-m-r veterans services said contact tracing showed community exposure- and the exact cause of death hasn't been determined.

The other employee died at home and the company said there is no current indication that it was covid related.

We asked the company how it's keeping staff safe after an employee told us tut fann is not following c-d-c regulations and department of health guidelines.

Staff directed to use alternate routes to access areas of the home no one to enter covid positive area without reason temporary barrier in place to create seperate space from covid unit h-m-r services said staff is directed to use an alternate route to access areas of the home and no one is to enter the covid positive aera without reason.

A temporary barrier is also in place to create seperate space from the covid unit and the memory care unit according to the company.

"i've asked the state v-a and hmr veteran's services if 7 deaths in 2 weeks is unsual for the home but was told a formal study would be needed.

In huntsville sm waay 31 news.

H-m-r veterans services told us it's conducting weekly testing at the veterans home of employees and veterans.

Positive employees are quarantined for 10 days and must have two negative tests before returning to work.

Any staff member with symptoms is immeditately removed from duty, tested, and required to qurantine until results