Sioux Falls halfway house locked down after 14 residents and two employees test positive for COVID-19

April 21, 2020

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – A halfway house in Sioux Falls is locked down tightly after 14 residents and two employees contracted the new coronavirus.

The Arch executive director Gary Tuschen said the facility has been working with a state health department case manager to do contract tracing and find individuals who may have come in contact with its residents.

Halfway house officials locked down the facility began prohibiting visitors and only allowing residents to go to and from work April 6.

As cases rose, the facility tightened measures and confined residents to their rooms.

Staff are using personal protective equipment, and are doing their best to give residents a break outside during the day, but officials couldn’t risk having the virus spread to more residents and staff if only some were allowed to move around.

The coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.