GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — The homeless community, a population that the Kent County Health Department was most concerned about, has seen over 50 coronavirus cases in the last several weeks.
"We have seen a large number of people experiencing homelessness who test positive for COVID-19," said registered nurse and Kent County Health Department's Director of Community Wellness, Joann Hoganson.
Hoganson is the operations chief for the holding and isolation center at Guiding Light Mission, which was set up to give those experiencing homelessness a proper place to isolate.
"This is a center meant for people who have no where else to go and have tested positive or are waiting for test results," Hoganson said Thursday.
The center has housed 72 people in total since April 4, with 59 of those people being confirmed patients. The other 13 were discharged once their results came back negative. On Wednesday, one man refused to stay at the isolation center despite having the virus.
Hoganson said this is not the first time that has happened, but in other scenarios, the individuals have ended up finding a different place to isolate or returning to the center.
"We want everyone that is homeless and has COVID-19 to come and do their recovery with us," Hoganson said. "Especially if they have symptoms, we want them to be safe and have the eyes of a nurse on them."
The department also wants to prevent further spread of the virus. Hoganson said Grand Rapids Police along with other agencies like Mel Trotter Ministries have been made aware of the man who refused care, to avoid him being allowed in any other care facility where he could infect others.
Hoganson said they are trying to entice people to carry out their isolation at the Guiding Light facility, where guests receive a bed, shower, bathroom, three meals a day and care from health professionals.
"We are trying to entice people and make it such a positive experience that they will stay," Hoganson said. "However, we are not holding people against their will. If they really refuse to come in and stay at our center, they can walk away."
So far, of the 59 COVID-19 patients treated at the center, 13 of them have recovered and been discharged. Six patients have had to return to the hospital for care. There are currently about 38 people remaining at the center as of Thursday morning.
Hoganson said that almost all of the known members of the homeless population in the Heartside neighborhood of Grand Rapids have been tested for COVID-19.
"We are working with every agency possible to keep the rest of the community as safe as possible," she said. "It's going really well. We are really very happy."
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