Gov. Murphy ‘outraged’ by bodies piled up at N.J. nursing care during coronavirus

Very sad that this was not handled properly. Facilities were not equiped to handle this Virus and new protocols will have to be put in place for the future if another outbreak occurs.

https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/04/gov-murphy-outraged-by-bodies-piled-up-at-nj-nursing-care-during-coronavirus-outbreak-ag-to-investigate.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_content=nj_facebook_njcom&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=njcom_sf&fbclid=IwAR3muBhGkdtY2sldbrYkMb9sJAUXgedEWJk8kSBe2no-UsvkCTwvofAgfxY

Gov. Murphy ‘outraged’ by bodies piled up at N.J. nursing care during coronavirus outbreak. AG to investigate.

Updated Apr 17, 11:00 AM; Posted Apr 16, 1:39 PM

By Brent Johnson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Gov. Phil Murphy said he’s “outraged” that bodies of residents who died at a Sussex County nursing home during the coronavirus outbreak were “allowed to pile up at a makeshift morgue" and called for the state’s top law enforcement officer to investigate.

“New Jerseyans living in our longterm care facilities deserve to be cared for with respect, compassion and dignity,” Murphy said during his daily coronavirus briefing Thursday in Trenton. “We can and must do better.”

“This is just completely beyond the pale,” the governor added. "A story like this shakes you to the bones.”

Murphy said he’s asked state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal to “look into the matter” at Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation Center I and II. The governor said Grewal will also review all longterm care facilities in New Jersey “that have experienced a disproportionate number of deaths” during the pandemic.

“I know he will take any and all appropriate action,” Murphy said. “Our full focus must be on mitigating the spread of the virus and minimizing the impact of all who remain, in this case at the Andover facility, as well as all of our other longterm care facilities.”

Plus, the governor said the state Department of Health will enforce “critical safety measures and protocols” at the Andover facility and has sent a team there to assist the center’s staff and residents.

And the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has sent “out-of-state surveyors” to do a “full survey” of the the facility, state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said.

The Andover center — which officials say is the state’s largest longterm care facility — has been the subject of news reports in recent days after authorities discovered 17 dead bodies there last weekend.

On Sunday, authorities received a request for 28 body bags at the home and discovered five bodies being stored in a room, officials said. Staff also reported three other bodies had been “released earlier in the day,” state Persichilli said Thursday.     

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