MOSES LAKE — A day after it was announced that an outbreak of COVID-19 had been found at a Moses Lake Alzheimer’s care facility, little has been made public about how the virus was introduced to elderly residents at the center.

It was reported Monday by the Grant County Health District that six people associated with the center, Summer Wood Alzheimer’s Special Care Center, had tested positive. As of Tuesday morning, Summer Wood reported that seven people, four employees and three residents, had tested positive for the coronavirus.

It is unclear when the seventh positive test was originally taken, and the facility did not respond to questions before the Herald’s deadline.

One individual is hospitalized, and no deaths had been reported in connection with the outbreak as of Monday afternoon. All residents and most of the staff were tested over the weekend, and an unspecified number of additional tests are still pending results, according to the health district.

Visitors have not been permitted at the facility since March 13, according to a statement from the facility.

“Resident safety is our top priority,” Summer Wood wrote in a statement. “We are staying in very close communication with local and state health officials to ensure we are taking all the appropriate steps.”

Infected employees are being quarantined in their homes, while infected residents are being isolated within the facility.

Neither the health district nor the facility responded to questions about the decision to isolate patients within the facility.

Other states have been sharply criticized for isolating elderly residents sickened with COVID-19 in facilities, with concerns raised that the practice contributed to further deaths. In New York, the state mandated that nursing homes accept those recovering from COVID-19 and who were still contagious, for which Gov. Andrew Cuomo has faced blowback, though the link between the policy and the high number of nursing home deaths in that state is not clear.

Emry Dinman can be reached via email at edinman@columbiabasinherald.com.