A resident at the Skilled Care Center and Retreat of Immanuel Lutheran Communities who underwent nasal-swab testing for COVID-19 has tested positive for the virus, but continues to show no symptoms, according to facility officials.

However, a second resident, whose Friday test came back negative, was hospitalized Sunday night for unrelated health issues, according to a press release. Another test was administered at the hospital and the results of that test came back positive.

All of the 92 residents within the Immanuel Lutheran Communities were tested last Friday after three facility employees tested positive earlier last week.

“What we are seeing at Immanuel Lutheran Communities right now serves as a reminder and a caution about the serious nature and uncertainty of this virus,” said Jason Cronk, president and CEO of Immanuel Lutheran. “I am so proud of our staff for the measures they have taken to try to keep this out of our community – all the protocols, precautions, screenings and testing. But we still have had positive cases. It shows how unpredictable this virus is and the need for all of us to remain vigilant.”

All of the staff members who tested positive are in isolation at home while they recover. Two of those employees — a housekeeper and a maintenance worker — continue to be asymptomatic as of Monday. The third employee, a nurse, “experienced some minor symptoms but is recovering well,” the press release states.

Cronk said as of Monday, no additional employees have shown any signs of the virus. In addition, no other residents are showing symptoms, and all are in “general good health.”

All 300 full- and part-time employees are screened at the beginning of each shift and receive nasal-swab testing weekly. The screening includes a temperature check and a series of questions to determine if they have symptoms or may have been exposed to the virus while outside of work.

All residents living in Immanuel Lutheran Communities, according to the press release, are being screened every eight hours, and monitored daily for symptoms of COVID-19. Cronk said all residents residing in the Immanuel Skilled Care Center and The Retreat at Buffalo Hill will remain in quarantine until the facilities receive all negative results for 14 straight days — a requirement set forth by the Flathead City-County Health Department.

For more information about Immanuel Lutheran’s infection preventions measures, go to www.ilcorp.org/resources/immanuel-lutheran-communities-covid-19-update/