COVID-19 Confirmed at Brewer Center for Health and Rehabilitation

The Maine CDC reports that a case of COVID-19 has been confirmed at a Brewer long-term care facility.

Congregate living facilities have become high risk situations for COVID-19, with multiple confirmed cases in facilities in several counties. Penobscot County is now counted among them, as a single case has been confirmed at the Brewer Center for Health and Rehabilitation.

Dr. Nirav Shah revealed the finding during a media briefing on Friday, saying the case had been confirmed that morning. The next step, he said, will be to determine how to handle the situation going forward. Other residents and staff members have been tested but, so far, only one positive result has been confirmed.

The Brewer facility is owned by the same company that runs the Augusta Center for Health and Rehabilitation, which has been dealing with multiple cases, involving both residents and staff.

Other outbreaks have been confirmed at the Tall Pines Retirement and Health Care Community in Belfast, The Cedars in Portland, and the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough. Other outbreaks have been detected at assisted living, independent living, and group homes that don't offer the same kind of skilled nursing facilities.

As with the other long-term care facilities, the Maine CDC will be working with the staff at the Brewer center to make sure they have the personal protective equipment they need, and will work to limit the number of outbreaks.