A fifth person has tested positive for the coronavirus at a Falmouth retirement community.

A spokesperson for OceanView at Falmouth said Friday evening that another resident has tested positive for the COVID-19 disease caused by the novel coronavirus, which was first detected in China and then rapidly spread around the word.

The development comes the day after two additional cases of COVID-19, which is particularly dangerous for the elderly and people with chronic medical conditions, were reported at OceanView.

Spokeswoman Linda Varrell said in a written statement that the community now has five cases, including two people who are hospitalized at Maine Medical Center in Portland and three who are recuperating at home.

Varrell said the fifth case was connected to the first two cases reported this week, which were the result of close household contact. The additional patient had been in self-quarantine when symptoms presented.

“We also continue to strongly recommend to all residents that they shelter in place and adhere to personal hygiene and social distancing best practices,” Varrell said.

As of Friday, Maine reported that 56 people tested positive for the novel coronavirus, with Cumberland County being the epicenter with 35 cases.

Varrell said that three nurses at OceanView are in self-quarantine for possible exposure, though they are not currently exhibiting any symptoms, which include a fever, cough and shortness of breath. She said the facility currently has enough of the personal protective equipment – masks, gloves, gowns and shoe covers – that is in short supply nationally.

OceanView at Falmouth has several different types of living arrangements within its sprawling 80-acre campus on Blueberry Lane, including cottages, apartments, assisted living and memory care. The facility offers a range of social events for residents, including fitness programs, dances, cocktail hours and group outings.

Dr. Nirav Shah, the director or the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said Thursday that he could not disclose in which areas the cases were detected in order to protect patient privacy.

But Shah noted that OceanView is not like the Seattle nursing home that was the center of an outbreak, where at least 129 cases and 35 deaths have been reported.

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