MOSES LAKE — Seven Samaritan Healthcare employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, the organization said Monday. They are all believed to have been exposed to the virus while out in the community.

“Our thoughts and prayers for strength and healing are with our employees,” said Samaritan CEO Theresa Sullivan. “COVID-19 continues to impact our community, and we want to encourage everyone to mask up and help stop the spread of this virus.”

The employees did not work in the same department, according to Samaritan officials, and a majority of them worked in non-patient care departments. All seven are recuperating at home, said Gretchen Youngren, executive director of development and communications at Samaritan.

The seven employees were originally tested July 26, Youngren said. Test results were delayed and only reported Monday after the organization could conduct tests on 28 other employees, none of whom tested positive.

In addition, two former patients who had direct, prolonged contact with employees infected with the virus have also been tested; however, due to increased demand on regional diagnostic labs in recent weeks, results for those patients have not yet come back.

Since March, the organization has conducted a COVID-19 symptom questionnaire and temperature check when staff or patients enter or exit any Samaritan facility, Samaritan said in a statement. Additionally, all staff, patients and visitors are required to wear masks while in a facility, which Chief Medical Officer Dr. Andrea Carter said likely prevented further spread of the virus inside the facility.

“When the pandemic arrived in March, we provided additional training for all staff regarding appropriate PPE usage, which included mandatory N95 masking by all clinical staff, and the introduction of cloth or procedural masks for all other staff,” Carter stated. “As we continue to review our case investigations, it is evident that proper PPE use by staff helped reduce the risk to our patients and fellow staff who may have come into contact with the affected employees.”

Over the coming weeks, Samaritan officials will work with Grant County Health District to monitor and follow-up with all employees and patients identified through the contact tracing process, the organization said in a statement.

“Samaritan Healthcare’s strong COVID-19 infection control policies have demonstrated the importance of taking COVID-19 precautions to slow the spread of the illness,” said GCHD administrator Theresa Adkinson in a statement.

Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to COVID-19 can call Samaritan’s 24-hour nurse hotline at 509-764-3331.