A sign pointing towards the Dionne Commons Assisted Living facility in Brunswick. C. Thacher Carter / The Times Record
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating a COVID-19 outbreak associated with the Dionne Commons Assisted Living facility in Brunswick.
According to Ryan Rousseau, the assistant director of Financial Operations for Rousseau Management, the outbreak at the facility began almost two weeks ago and all of the over 20 residents and staff members that tested positive were vaccinated.
Dionne Commons is a 60-bed facility located on Maurice Drive, owned and operated by Rousseau Management Inc. According to Rousseau, there are 53 residents. Symptoms have been minimal and comparable to a cold, Rousseau added, stating that the company is continuing to stock up on personal protective equipment such as gowns, N-95 masks, booties, face shields, gloves and masks to help mitigate the spread. Rousseau said that staff do not continue working after testing positive for COVID-19.
“Since our outbreak started almost two weeks ago our team at Dionne Commons has done a tremendous job coming together to help get covid out of the facility and keep our residents safe,” Rousseau wrote in an email, adding “these are unprecedented times and without teams like the one established at Dionne Commons it would be extremely difficult to get through situations like this without bringing in outside help.”
The investigation was opened on Nov. 11, according to Maine CDC Spokesperson Robert Long. As of Nov. 12, the most recent data the CDC had available, there were 22 cases of COVID-19 among residents and seven cases among staff, Long said.
“Maine CDC staff have been in touch with administrators there to offer testing, infection control guidance, and other support,” wrote Long.
At Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick 19 patients were being treated for COVID-19 on Tuesday. Of those 19, six were vaccinated, four were in the intensive care unit, one was on a ventilator.
In a community COVID-19 update released Monday, hospital officials continued to urge Midcoast communities to follow COVID-19 protocol heading into the holiday season.
“This high community transmission rate and spike in hospitalizations is even more concerning as we head into the holiday season. We cannot stress enough the importance of following CDC-recommended safety protocols, including social distancing, washing your hands, and wearing a mask. Now is not the time to let down your guard,” the update stated.
On Tuesday, The Portland Press Herald reported 1,089 cases of COVID-19 over a three-day period. On Monday, The Press Herald reported that hospitalizations in Maine reached another record high of 300 people.
As of Tuesday, 116,948 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in total statewide, resulting in 1,300 deaths. In Cumberland County, 23,932 cases had been reported and 250 deaths.
According to the Maine CDC just over 71% of eligible Maine residents had received a final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of Tuesday.
In Brunswick, the CDC estimates that 99% of eligible residents are vaccinated.
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