For the first time on Monday, the state Department of Public Health released data regarding the number of COVID-19 cases at nursing homes and similar facilities across the state.

Data was provided for nursing homes, rest homes and skilled nursing facilities reporting two or more cases of COVID-19. The numbers or reported cases are provided in data ranges signifying less than 10 reported cases, 10 to 30 reported cases, or greater than 30 reported cases at the facility.

The report — which lists data from 289 facilities — does not provide the number of deaths reported at individual care facilities. Long-term care facilities were also not included in the report.

In Greenfield, Poet’s Seat Health Care Center, Buckley HealthCare Center and Charlene Manor Extended Care each reported between 10 and 30 cases, the report states. Quabbin Valley Healthcare in Athol was not on the list.

Greenfield resident Al Norman, an elder care advocate, said the numbers released Monday are helpful, but not complete.

“All three of (Greenfield’s) nursing facilities — Charlene Manor, Buckley HealthCare Center and Poet’s Seat — are in the category for 10 to 30 COVID cases,” he said. “Does that mean 30 (combined cases) or does that mean 90 (combined cases)?”

He also noted the size of the facilities aren’t factored into the report. Poet’s Seat, for example, only has 63 beds, compared to Buckley’s 120 beds or Charlene Manor’s 123 beds.

“You’ve got two facilities that are about the same size, and then you’ve got Poet’s Seat at half the size,” he said. “And yet, they’re all reporting somewhere in the range of 30 cases.”

He added, “10 to 30 is significant when you’re having only (63) people in your home.”

The data fails to provide the public with an image of what’s really happening in these facilities, he said.

“The whole purpose of putting data like this out is to help the public understand the situation where they live … and maybe to pinpoint hot spots that need help,” Norman said.

Norman said he is also disappointed to see that numbers for assisted living residences are not included, nor are home care programs, which often provide elders with personal care attendants.

However, what is most “startling” to Norman is the lack of death statistics included in Monday’s report.

“The over 80 are the most severely impacted,” he said. “This is a disease that is targeted toward the elderly.”

He referenced data included in a different section of the same report that identifies 50- to 59-year-olds as the age group with the most reported cases, but identifies the 80 and up demographic with having the most reported deaths due to the virus.

Norman acknowledged a lack of testing may have contributed to the number of nursing homes reporting two or fewer cases.

“I suspect there are a lot of cases that aren’t being reported,” he said. “Nursing homes may be intimidated … but for public health reasons these numbers need to be revealed.”

A disclaimer at the bottom of the document notes the number of cases is reliant upon the amount of testing conducted and that facilities not included in the report may have cases that have not yet been identified.

Further, some facilities have tested some residents and staff while others have tested all.

“A low number of cases may reflect that not all residents and staff have been tested, not necessarily prevalence,” states the report.

Norman said he hopes that moving forward, the state puts pressure on nursing homes to release their data.

“The data would be much more useful if we had specific numbers, but at least this is a beginning,” he said.

Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 263.