Mold spores have been discovered after flooding damage in late 2019 at Southwest Health Systems Walk-in Clinic, 1413 N. Mildred Road, and the clinic has been moved to a temporary location.
The clinic is temporarily located at 1311-A N. Mildred Road, in the Southwest Medical Group Physician Office Building in Cortez.
According to a news release issued Tuesday by Southwest Health System, the mold spores present a potential health risk to the clinic’s employees and patients. Letters have been sent to anyone who might have been exposed to mold spores Dec. 30-31 and from Jan. 2-8.
“Our patients’ health and safety is our highest priority, and we sincerely apologize for any negative impacts this may have had on our patients and employees. We are working closely with state and local health officials to permanently resolve the situation as quickly as possible. Out of an abundance of caution, we are notifying everyone who was in the building during that time as to the issue and symptoms that could result from mold exposure and what steps to take should you have any symptoms,” SHS CEO Tony Sudduth, said in the news release.
Symptoms of mold exposure include: fever and chills, shortness of breath, a cough that brings up blood, chest or joint pain, headaches or eye symptoms and skin lesions.
SHS said in its news release that if you are not currently experiencing symptoms nothing is required. However, if you have been experiencing symptoms or have questions or concerns, call SHS at 564-1037.
Anyone experiencing symptoms or concerns about mold exposure may come to the temporary walk-in clinic. Upon arrival, let the front desk know you received the notice about mold exposure and were a patient or in the building between Dec. 30-31, 2019, and Jan. 8.
The building housing the permanent clinic is owned by Montezuma County Hospital District and leased to SHS. It is undergoing cleaning to ensure mold is remediated.
Extensive testing for humidity, soil sampling and structural integrity have been completed since the leak was discovered Nov. 8. Humidity levels and tests for spore counts continue to be monitored.
The walk-in clinic operates from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.
Southwest Health System is a nonprofit that operates Southwest Memorial Hospital and Southwest Medical Group, which comprises of six clinics providing primary and specialty care.
parmijo@the-journal.com
