BRUCE, Miss. (WTVA) - An assisted living center in Calhoun County recently reopened its front porch for visitation but has had to shut it down since then.

The porch is currently closed at Bruce Community Living Center after an employee tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The center had recently reopened the porch.

Center Administrator Amanda May said Calhoun County kept its coronavirus cases among the population below 5%. She said the numbers allowed the facility to permit its residents to meet with friends and family members on the front porch.

The center had the porch taped off to help maintain social distancing.

Things were going well until last Monday, May said.

The center has tested all residents and employees going on for two weeks and has received no positive results.

"Starting Monday, because everybody’s tested negative again, we will be able to open the front porch up for visitation with their family members and guests.”

Resident Martha Martin said she’s accomplished a lot of quilting and reading during the pandemic. The only way she could visit with her family was through a glass door.

“I’m looking forward to being able to come out and visit with my family out on the porch and friends to come by and see us,” Martin said.

Another resident, Josephine Harris, said her brother recently visited her on the porch and she hopes to visit more family members when the porch reopens.

“I just thank the facility for keeping us safe,” Harris said. “They’re doing a great job at it, and I thank them for that.”

“Hopefully if everything goes well on next Monday, we will have everybody out on the porch and visiting,” May said.

May said the facility has to go two weeks without a positive test in order to reopen the porch for visiting.