The Maine CDC is confirming increases in the numbers of residents and staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 in a skilled nursing and assisted living center In Augusta.
CDC official say as of Sunday, 41 residents and 14 staff members at the Augusta Center for Health and Rehabilitation have tested positive for the disease. On Friday only four cases were reported at the facility, according to the Portland Press Herald.
In a press release, the CDC says one resident at the Augusta center who tested positive for COVID-19 died. This led to the testing of all residents and staff which confirmed the additional cases.
The CDC says an additional supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) has been provided to the facility.
In its daily update Sunday morning, the CDC reported that the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Maine had increased to 633, 17 more than Saturday. No additional deaths were reported.
Officials say that the increased number of cases at the Augusta Center for Health and Rehabilitation will be reflected in the COVID-19 data the state will release later Monday.
This is the third outbreak of COVID-19 in a long term care facility, which house populations especially vulnerable to the disease. The CDC has previously confirmed outbreaks at Tall Pines Retirement and Health Care Community in Belfast and the Maine Veterans’ Homes facility in Scarborough.
Statewide, the Maine CDC Sunday morning says Cumberland County continues to have the most confirmed cases at 292, up eight from yesterday. York county has 144. Piscataquis County continues to be the only county in the state without a confirmed case of COVID-19.
One-hundred twenty Mainers have been hospitalized with the disease, and 266 have recovered.
Updated 6:08 a.m. April 13, 2020
