UPDATE: Ballad designates Lonesome Pine Hospital as regional COVID-19 treatment facility

Ballad Health officials announced Tuesday evening that they are designating their Big Stone Gap medical facility as a regional treatment center following a positive COVID-19 case confirmed in the town.

Patients at Lonesome Pine Hospital will now receive coronavirus acute care service while other patients with other health care needs in that area will be treated at Norton Community Hospital to ensure proper focus on local resources, the company report said.

Other media reports said a speech therapist who provided service at Heritage Hall, a long-term care facility, tested positive for the virus. The third-party worker entered the facility on March 19 and was prescreened under company guidelines before being allowed in, the report said.