Samaritan Health Announces First COVID-19-Related Death; Reminds Community of Importance of Adhering to Safety Measures

Published on: July 31, 2020

Watertown, N.Y. – Samaritan Medical Center announced the first COVID-19-related death in Jefferson County. The patient, an elderly Jefferson County resident with underlying health conditions, acquired COVID-19 in the community and was admitted to Samaritan’s COVID-19 unit for treatment. 

“We wish to extend our deepest condolences to the patient’s family,” said Thomas H. Carman, president and CEO, Samaritan Health. “We are deeply saddened by this outcome, and disappointed our community could not be spared the terrible realities of this virus. This tragic development is a sobering reminder of the importance of abiding by public health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including wearing face masks in public, keeping six feet of distance, and limiting large gatherings. We must come together to protect our most vulnerable community residents, particularly our senior residents and those with underlying conditions.”

Samaritan Medical Center remains the main local hospital providing care to patients diagnosed with COVID-19, and has been for the past four months. At this point there is one other inpatient with COVID-19 at the hospital. Samaritan remains well prepared to care for these patients, with proficient staff and critical care physicians, ample personal protective equipment, and dedicated space to separate patients with COVID-19 from the rest of the patient population.

“We want to thank our staff once again for their dedication and their efforts to continue to ensure safe, quality health care for our patients over these last several months,” said Carman. “We ask the community to remain diligent as we work together to respond to this ongoing pandemic.”