Essex Center declared ‘coronavirus-free’ after nearly two months of outbreak

ELIZABETHTOWN, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Centers Health Care said this week that a COVID-19 outbreak that started in late August has finally ended, at the Essex Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing.

Three residents of the center are currently hospitalized for coronavirus, but every employee and resident currently at the senior care center is virus-free.

Centers Health Care spokesman Jeff Jacomowitz said the company that owns the facility is cautiously optimistic and is wary of a second wave still possible. He credited moving coronavirus testing in-house as a reason for the curb, as turnaround times for test results went from over two weeks to as little as 24 hours.

Andrea Whitmarsh of Essex County’s health department said that tracking the positive employees was perhaps the biggest challenge. Residents stay at the center, but employees have homes all over the county. 12 known coronavirus cases in the county stemmed from contact with employees, all early on in the outbreak.

LATEST STORIES