Scott Franklin didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to his dad.
Within hours of finding out he had been transferred to the hospital from Sapphire of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ nursing home, Scott found himself making the difficult decision to take his father off life support.
Following his death on Saturday, 64-year-old Lloyd Franklin’s test results came back. His was another death attributed to the coronavirus.
“He was a great man, very smart, very intelligent,†33-year-old Scott said through tears. “He was very self-sufficient and always advocated for himself.â€
Lloyd suffered from a condition similar to hip dysplasia that kept him immobile and bed-ridden. The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ nursing home at 2900 E. Milber St., just south of Banner — University Medical Center South, was Lloyd’s residence for the past six years.
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The source of the infection is still under investigation.
The first patient from the nursing home was taken to the hospital on Friday, March 20, a source at Banner South said. The 27-year-old man had a movement disorder and died of COVID-19 several days later, marking the fifth coronavirus-related fatality in Pima County.
Most of the patients that were brought to Banner South were on ventilators as of Friday, the source said.
At just over a week since the home saw its first case, 26 additional Sapphire residents and staff members tested positive, including Lloyd.
After not being able to get a hold of his dad for several days last week, Scott called the nursing home Saturday morning to ask if everything was OK.
Staff members informed Scott that his dad had been transferred to the hospital two days prior. He said this was the first time that he had been notified by staff members that his dad was sick and had been taken to Banner South.
“I was told over the phone that they can neither confirm or deny that there are any cases of the coronavirus at this facility,†Scott said.
When he called the hospital, they said his dad was on a ventilator and in critical condition.
“Within two hours after that, I received a phone call from the hospital stating that he wasn’t going to make it through the night and that I needed to make some medical decisions,†Scott said.
With the hospital not allowing any visitors amid the pandemic, Scott didn’t have a chance to see his dad in person. He said a nurse at the hospital set up a video call so he could see him before they disconnected the machines.
When asked about the care that his dad received at Sapphire at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Scott said he attempted to have his dad transferred from the facility three times.
“I had been told that his condition made him untransferable and he couldn’t leave the facility without risk of breaking his hip and causing permanent damage or death,†he said.
Over the past several years, he said, the quality of care that his dad received at the nursing home declined.
“He had a chronic cough for the past two years that I had brought to their attention,†Scott said. “They said that they attempted to do a lung X-ray one time, and that he refused it. When I talked to him about it, he said that he had never been approached about it. So he had a prior condition that I think was undiagnosed.â€
Scott said his dad had physical disabilities, but that his mind was still sharp.
The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ received several reports that residents and staff members were not notified that COVID-19 was present in the nursing home until Monday.
The Star could not contact Sapphire of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ administrators for more information, but a statement released Monday morning said that they were in contact with local and state health officials to control the situation.
“We continue to collaborate closely with ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Department of Health Services and county health officials,†the statement said. “We are also in contact multiple times a day with additional health experts in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, ensuring we are taking every possible step to provide the appropriate care to all our residents.â€
The nursing home said for the past two weeks they have had limited access to visitors and have continued to follow infection-control guidelines. The facility said it is also asking employees to closely monitor their own symptoms.
“We have instructed any staff member who believes they may have been exposed to the virus, or are developing symptoms of respiratory infection, to leave work and self-isolate at home.â€
It is unclear how the facility is working to isolate residents at this time.
The Pima County Health Department said in a statement Monday that it is working with Sapphire of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and other long-term care facilities to mitigate the effects of COVID-19.
“Residents of those facilities can experience increased risk for contracting the virus since they live and eat in close proximity with one another and are at high risk because of age and/or medical conditions that put them at an increased risk,†the county’s statement said.
The department said it has liaisons to work with these facilities to investigate outbreaks, provide guidance on how to isolate residents, provide personal protective equipment and provide guidance on how to alert patients and staff of an outbreak.
“We’re trying our best to support Sapphire in this instance, but they will unfortunately not be the only one,†said Pima County Health Department Community Relations Programs Manager Aaron Pacheco. “Our goal is to prevent other facilities from experiencing this, but once you get a case, those are places where viruses spread easily and we see that every year with norovirus and the flu.â€
For Scott, the impact of coronavirus hit home quickly. Now, he said he and his family need time to process and grieve. He said he hopes to take a cross-country trip to spread his dad’s ashes in some of his favorite places.
Photos for March 27: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ gets by during coronavirus pandemic
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus, tattoos

The doors are still open at Sacred Art Tattoo on 1024 E. 6th St., as of Friday, March 27, 2020, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Seth Nadeau, left, and his son Anthony Nadeau get out of the house for a couple of game so horse under cloudy skies on the courts at Christ Church United Methodist, March 27, 2020, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Victoria Quintero, 5, holds her sign as her mother, Vanessa, waves to the teachers and administrators from John E. White Elementary School and Pistor Middle School during a Car Parade through the neighborhood on March 27, 2020. The teachers and administrators drove their cars through the neighborhood to say hello to their students from their cars.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Teachers and administrators from John E. White Elementary School and Pistor Middle School cheer and wave to their students during a Car Parade through the neighborhood on March 27, 2020. The teachers and administrators drove their cars through the neighborhood to say hello to their students from their cars.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Standing, Kai Morales, left, and his twin brother, Kristian, hold up their signs as Karim, 9, and their mother, Angelica, sit in the bed of the truck along W. Nebraska Street during a Car Parade on March 27, 2020. The teachers and administrators drove their cars through the neighborhood to say hello to their students from their cars.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Students of John E. White Elementary School and Pistor Middle School stand along W. Nebraska Street and wave to their teachers during a Car Parade on March 27, 2020. The teachers and administrators drove their cars through the neighborhood to say hello to their students from their cars.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Teachers and administrators from John E. White Elementary School and Pistor Middle School line up along W. Canada Street before the start of their Car Parade on March 27, 2020. The teachers and administrators drove their cars through the neighborhood to say hello to their students from their cars.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

The noted bull testicles on the statue outside Casa Molina at Speedway and Wilmot, usually painted in various schemes and wild colors, now sporting a surgical mask.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Pfc. Gustavo Escalera, of the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ National Guard, waves in the next car to his station at the Southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Community Food Bank on March 27, 2020. The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ National Guard has been activated to help the demanding need to fill and handout food boxes for people in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and five counties in southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. Thirty troops arrived in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on Thursday and another thirty are expected. According to Spc. John Randall, the troops are here to fill in the gaps in logistics to help keep up the production of putting together and handing out food boxes.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Spc. Nicholas McCormick, of the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ National Guard, waits for the next car to pull up at the Southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Community Food Bank.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Spc. Emilio Maldonado, of the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ National Guard, pushes a several bags down an assembly line at the Community Food Bank of Southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on March 26, 2020. The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ National Guard has been activated to help the demanding need to fill food boxes for people in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and five counties in southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Spc. Gabriel Molina, of the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ National Guard, fills bags with food items on an assembly line at the Community Food Bank of Southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on March 26, 2020. The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ National Guard has been activated to help the demanding need to fill food boxes for people in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and five counties in southern ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Hoover Zhu, owner of Old Peking, poses for a portrait inside a closed Old Peking at Old Peking , 2522 E. Speedway Blvd., in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., on March 25, 2020. Zhu closed Old Peking on Thursday March 25 due to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Chef Du Liyuan makes a take out order at Chef Wang, 356 E. Grant Rd., in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., on March 25, 2020. Chef Wang, a local Chinese restaurant, is open for take out but is considering closing due to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Before Tuesday’s change in policy, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ residents traveling to New York had to quarantine for 14 days. New Jersey and Connecticut also removed their travel restrictions.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

An empty baggage carousel at the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ International Airport, on March 26, 2020.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Wendy Fu, owner of Chef Wang, processes a take out order at Chef Wang, 356 E. Grant Rd., in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., on March 25, 2020. Chef Wang, a local Chinese restaurant is open for take out but is considering closing due to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Chairs tilted in on tables at La Cocina located at 201 N. Court Avenue, on March 26, 2020.
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Sun sets over a dark and locked Hi Corbett Stadium, home to the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats baseball team, as the city begins its second week under COVID19 restrictions, March 26, 2020, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.
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Downtown Congress Streets is mostly deserted just before 8 p.m. as the city begins its second week under COVID19 restrictions, March 26, 2020, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.
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The lanterns from the Reid Park Zoo's Asian Lantern Festival sit in a fenced compound after the zoo's closure ended the display weeks early as the city begins its second week under COVID19 restrictions, March 26, 2020, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.
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Residents stay spaced while out getting some air and watching the Rillito River flow near Craycroft as the city begins its second week under COVID19 restrictions, March 26, 2020, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Jayden Simmons, right, 12, runs football drills with coach Bobby Rodriguez, owner of Jet Sports Training, at Silverlake Park, in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., on March 25, 2020. Due to gyms being closed, Rodriguez is taking classes and training outside to parks with little to no equipment.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

A man wearing a mask watches traffic go by while waiting for the bus on N. Alvernon Rd., in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., on March 25, 2020.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, coronavirus

Gloves, a mask and hand sanitizer sit on the counter at Chef Wang, 356 E. Grant Rd., in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., on March 25, 2020. Chef Wang, a local Chinese restaurant is open for take out but is considering closing due to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).