RUMFORD — Three team members at Rumford Community Home have tested positive for COVID-19, Central Maine Healthcare officials said Friday.

In a statement from Central Maine Healthcare, Peter J. Wright, president of Bridgton Hospital, Rumford Hospital and Central Maine Healthcare’s Long-Term Care Division, said, “Our top priority is the safety of the residents, team members and the community. We are taking every precaution possible, including testing beyond what is required and increasing the monitoring of residents to catch symptoms as soon as possible. We are committed to protecting the people we serve and the team members who work hard to deliver our mission every day.”

The three team members who tested positive are quarantining as are two others who were exposed to them outside of the workplace.

Officials said all residents were tested for COVID-19 on Thursday night. Monitoring of residents’ vital signs, such as temperature and oxygen levels, has been increased from once a day to three times a day in order to catch symptoms as soon as possible.

The positive test results were from tests performed Nov. 23. Rumford Community Home tests team members weekly, which is twice as often as state and federal regulators require.

After the positive results came in, most team members on site Thursday night were tested. All other team members, including those who were not scheduled to work, will be tested Friday.

All team members will be retested Tuesday during the regularly scheduled weekly universal test.

Officials said Rumford Community Home has informed all residents, their families and all team members about the positive test results and will continue to keep them up to date on developments.

Precautions in place at Rumford Community Home include masking and the use of other personal protective equipment as needed, increased disinfecting of the facility, hand hygiene, social distancing and screening of team members and residents. Visitors have not been allowed since last week due to COVID-19 rates in the community.


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