Patients report COVID-19 outbreak at Lewis County drug treatment center

CHEHALIS, Wash. — An anonymous patient at American Behavioral Health System (ABHS) in Chehalis told KIRO 7 that a COVID-19 outbreak was rapidly spreading throughout his facility.

“Between Wednesday and Friday, the numbers have gone from me to 50 some guys—all positive for Covid,” he said, adding that treatment workers were slow to react to the virus’s spread.

The patient said he had trouble breathing for several days. He told KIRO 7 he was not diagnosed with COVID-19 until he was forced to take an ambulance to the hospital.

Even after that diagnosis, he said treatment workers at ABHS simply took him back to the facility.

He said he is currently in quarantine with dozens of other COVID-19 patients nearby.

“I’m in a room of bunk beds with three other gentlemen; all with different stages of COVID,” he noted.

Family members of other patients at ABHS told KIRO 7 they’re deeply worried about their loved ones’ health.

“Given everything we’ve been through, it’s kinda hard to describe a stressful feeling because nothing surprises me anymore,” said Aquina Phillips, a family member of a person being treated at ABHS.

Phillips said confidentiality rules have added to her stress, especially because ABHS is a private facility.

“For you to have the audacity to not report anything because you’re privatized… I don’t think you need to be in that position, because that’s not cool,” she said.

Neither Lewis County health officials or employees at ABHS would confirm an outbreak at the facility.

KIRO 7 left a message for one of the executives at ABHS, but as of 11 p.m. on Friday, Aug 6, he had not responded.

A blog post from Lewis County Health does list a current Covid-19 outbreak at a congregate care facility.

The name of that place, however, wasn’t published.

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