(KLFY) Nursing homes have been hot spots for the virus. Elderly residents are more at risk.

News 10’s Mark Rigsby spoke to Dr. Tina Stefanski, the regional director for the Louisiana Department of Health.

There are 37 nursing homes in Acadiana.

Dr. Tina Stefanski says it’s no surprise there are clusters of coronavirus infections in care facilities throughout the region.

“It’s unfortunately a perfect setting for this virus to spread easily. It’s the most vulnerable population. So we will continue to see clusters and deaths in nursing homes.”

She says the health department has been working with all nursing homes to supply them with enough personal protective equipment, as well as keeping count of the the number of cases.

“We have an electronic data base they report into, and we old school call them, review practices and our public health nurse, our epidemiologist are working with them giving them guidance.”

Nursing homes were not forced, until now, to report coronavirus cases to the CDC.

Louisiana Senator Kennedy supports new federal rules requiring nursing homes to notify when a coronavirus case is discovered in the facility.

“Right now, we seem, knock on wood, to have a handle on our nursing home cases, but we have to remain careful.”

Dr. Stefanski says staff members at nursing homes are doing all they can to help stop the spread of the virus.

We are getting reports of the virus sweeping through several nursing homes in the area.

St. Landry Parish in particular has 25 deaths at nursing homes as of Tuesday.

Mark Rigsby, KLFY News 10.