A KBTX investigation has uncovered an outbreak of COVID-19 at an assisted living center in College Station.

News 3's Rusty Surette has confirmed several employees at the Waterford at College Station on Rock Prairie Road have tested positive for the virus. The facility is also linked to Brazos County's first two coronavirus-related deaths.

The Brazos County Health District acknowledged Tuesday that residents at the facility have tested positive for COVID-19. They have recommended that all residents and staff be tested, and have been doing so as supplies have allowed.

Officials confirmed that Waterford was following all guidance in place from the state.

Read the health department's full statement below.

The Brazos County Health District is aware residents at The Waterford at College Station assisted living facility have tested positive for COVID-19. This is a devastating situation, and we have been and will continue to be in close collaboration with the facility’s administration to provide education and guidance moving forward. Through this dialogue, we have learned that prior to this The Waterford was following guidance from both their corporate office and the Texas Health & Human Services Commission. For example, they were restricting visitors, screening staff, and had implemented enhanced cleaning procedures. In response to this situation, COVID-19 testing was recommended for all residents and staff and has been implemented as testing supplies have allowed. The health district remains in regular contact with Texas Health & Human Services Commission staff to provide ongoing guidance on how to best protect these vulnerable residents from this infection. Also, more broadly, the Brazos County Health District has been collaborating with administrators and medical directors of local long-term and assisted living care facilities in the area. We remain committed to working with each to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Brazos County Health District strives to be transparent in our response to COVID-19, while at the same time to protect the privacy of those impacted. In this delicate balance, we first and foremost remain committed to serving the greater good and take seriously the duty of efficiently implementing public health practices, such as those outlined above.

Previous KBTX story:

On Saturday, Estela Aguirre, 91, passed away at CHI St. Joseph Health in Bryan.

Her son, David, says she had Parkinson's disease and was fine until last week when she rapidly developed a fever. On Thursday, after showing several symptoms of the coronavirus, she was rushed to a hospital from Waterford at College Station where she lived.

"I told the hospital staff I would rush there as quickly as I can but they told me I wouldn't be allowed in the hospital. They couldn't even let me in the waiting room,'" said David.

Estela's passing happened less than 24 hours after another Waterford resident died.

Jack Bryant, 81, had dementia and was in hospice care when his health took a turn for the worst last Wednesday. He was tested for COVID-19 on Thursday afternoon and his results were returned on Friday and revealed he was positive for the virus.

He died on Saturday, according to his family.

In a statement released to Rusty Surette on Monday, the parent company of the facility confirmed four of its employees have also tested positive. That's after KBTX witnessed several other residents being taken in an ambulance this past weekend for difficulty breathing.

Still, the facility has no plans to close.

"A State Surveyor visited our community on Friday and validated that we are taking all appropriate steps to help ensure the safety of our residents and staff," said

in a statement on Monday.

The company said the employees who tested positive are no longer reporting for work, but several staff members who asked to remain anonymous tell Rusty Surette that they fear it's only a matter of time before they get the virus and they feel it's time to temporarily close the facility.

David Aguirre says he was never notified about the spread of the virus in the facility where his mother was living. That also mirrors a concern raised Monday from another family member of a different resident who is still there today.

Click on the video player at the top of this page to see our interview with David.

We asked Waterford about being transparent with families of the residents and the company said, "The Waterford leadership team has reached out via phone to the designated primary contact for each of our residents, explaining that we have had positive cases of COVID-19 within our community and detailing our protocols to keep our residents safe.

We have also asked each primary contact if there are additional family members or loved ones they would like us to inform. Our team has maintained a detailed log confirming each of these calls."

The statement goes on to say, "Our top priority is always the safety of our residents, partners, and staff. We continue to take precautionary measures, following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the state health department and local health authorities.

We also continue to follow our own strict disinfecting and sanitizing guidelines set forth by the CDC that meet or surpass all state and local guidelines. The Waterford has taken several precautionary actions, such as restricting access and assessing the health status of every person entering the communities, including the employees, all visitors, and all outside service providers. Additionally, we have adjusted our group activities and are providing in-room meals only.

We are exercising extreme caution amid the current environment, and as directed by medical personnel, we are transferring individuals to an alternative care setting for evaluation."

The facility did confirm that all COVID-19 positive patients are reported to health authorities and are currently included in the current count of cases in Brazos County.