STROUDSBURG, Pa. — A sign outside Pleasant Valley Manor near Stroudsburg reads, "Heroes have always worked at P.V.M."
Inside the nursing home, residents and staff members are battling COVID-19.
The manor in Hamilton Township has been hit hard by the virus.
"Once we knew community spread was in the Monroe County area, we knew it was going to hit us. All of the preparations we made for this COVID virus situation were made with the expectation that we were going to get hit," said Drew Lutton, Pleasant Valley Manor Administrator.
More than 140 residents live here.
According to administrators, 34 residents have tested positive for COVID-19, 21 are in an isolated section of the nursing home, six are hospitalized. Some staff members also tested positive and are recovering at home.
Seven residents have passed away over the last two weeks.
Drew Lutton is the administrator at the nursing home. He says those who died had underlying health issues.
"That creates a serious, serious issue for those being compromised with COVID. A lot of times and in the case of these residents who passed away, they didn't die per se of COVID-19. They died due to complications associated with COVID-19," said Lutton.
The facility stopped all visitation with few exceptions on March 11.
It's unknown how the virus spread into the nursing home.
Administrators say protocols are in place for people who have to come into the building.
Residents are also being tested in house.
"We do not have to send our residents that we suspect have symptoms of COVID to the ER because they are busy at the hospitals and have a lot going on. We'd rather keep our residents here and safe at PVM," said Lutton.
Administrators say the first positive test at the nursing home was on April 2.
The Pleasant Valley Manor is also not accepting any new admissions to the nursing home at this time.