Failure to Promptly Report Influenza Outbreak to Public Health Authorities
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to immediately report an influenza outbreak to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) as required by the Influenza and other Respiratory Virus Diseases Outbreak Toolkit. The Infection Preventionist (IP) stated that one resident first presented with influenza symptoms, including cough, on 2/1/2026 and later tested positive for influenza on 2/7/2026. A second resident developed cough and wheezing on 2/2/2026 and tested positive for influenza on 2/5/2026. A third resident began having cough on 2/4/2026 and tested positive for influenza on 2/7/2026. Despite these three confirmed influenza cases, the facility did not immediately report the outbreak to LAC DPH as required. The residents involved had multiple medical conditions documented in their admission records and Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments. One resident had a displaced fracture of the base of the neck of the left femur and acute cholecystitis, with intact cognition and a need for partial to moderate assistance with bathing and toileting hygiene. Another resident had osteomyelitis of the right ankle and foot and type 2 diabetes mellitus with a foot ulcer, also with intact cognition and requiring partial to moderate assistance for bathing and toileting hygiene. The third resident had hemiplegia and hemiparesis affecting the left non-dominant side and type 2 diabetes mellitus with diabetic neuropathy, with impaired cognition and dependence for activities of daily living. These findings, along with the IP’s interviews and the positive influenza test results, established that an outbreak had occurred but was not promptly reported to public health authorities.
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