The City of Timmins says a COVID-19 outbreak remains in place at a long-term care home in the city, even after the one affected resident has now tested negative — twice.

The outbreak was declared by the Porcupine Health Unit on May 4. One resident had tested positive. Currently, all residents and staff in long-term care facilities in Ontario are being tested for COVID-19 under a provincial order.

The facility has been on complete lockdown for about eight weeks, according to the city. That means a restriction on any visitors, active screening and use of PPE.

The city says all staff and residents at Golden Manor were tested on May 2. On May 4, the facility was told one asymptomatic resident had tested positive, prompting the outbreak. All other staff and residents tested negative.

A second test was done on the affected resident on May 5 and came back negative. Eventually, a third test was done which also came back negative.

“This has left us completely perplexed,” Carol Halt, Golden Manor administrator said.

“With genuine care and concern for the resident and the mental well-being of their family and for our other residents, families and staff, we knew the only thing we could do was to conduct a third test on the resident which returned a second consecutive result.”

Halt says the resident remains in isolation as the facility is still under an outbreak status.