New reports shed further light on how nursing homes have been affected by Covid-19

New CDC data underscore how nursing homes have been among the hardest-hit places during the Covid-19 pandemic. In one report, based on an outbreak at a Maryland facility, investigators found that around 1 in 5 residents at a 200-person nursing home tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Those who were on dialysis had worse outcomes: Nearly half of them tested positive versus 16% of those who weren't on dialysis. Those on dialysis were also more likely to be hospitalized and to die from Covid-19. In another report based on data from seven health departments across the U.S., scientists found that delaying facility-wide testing could lead to more cases. In an analysis of 88 nursing homes that waited to implement facility-wide testing until a Covid-19 case was identified led to an additional case being identified per day after the first case was diagnosed.