The nursing home residents who died were among hundreds of people from seven nursing homes taken to the warehouse in Independence, where conditions became unhealthy and unsafe after the hurricane struck on Sunday, state health officials said. Three deaths were attributed to storms, according to the coroner.
Aly Neel, spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Health, said that health officials received reports of people sleeping on the ground on mattresses, not being changed or fed, and not being socially separated to stop the spread of coronavirus. Neel stated that a large group of state health inspectors arrived at the warehouse on Tuesday to inspect it. However, the owner of the nursing home demanded they leave immediately.
Neel identified Bob Dean as the owner. Dean didn’t immediately respond to a Thursday telephone message from The Associated Press, at the number provided for him.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards pledged to conduct an investigation into the owner’s failure to ensure safety and whether or not he deliberately obstructed efforts by staff to check in on residents and determine the conditions of the shelter. He also promised to take aggressive legal action if necessary.
After promising federal support for the Northeast and Gulf Coast states, Joe Biden will visit Louisiana Friday to assess the damage. He also promised full federal support to the Northeast and Gulf Coast states. The Northeast was hit by Ida’s remnants, which dumped record-breaking rainfall and killed at least 46 people, from Maryland to Connecticut.
The storm was responsible for at least 13 deaths in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. This includes the three residents of nursing homes and the two utility workers aged 19 who were electrocuted while restoring power to Birmingham, Alabama. Other deaths were attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning, according to authorities.
In Louisiana, about 900,000. People, including New Orleans, were without power. Tens of thousands of people had no water during a hot summer. The efforts to drain flood-prone communities continued, and gas lines stretched blocks from New Orleans to Baton Rouge.
