Screen image / Newscenter Maine
Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine CDC, talks to the media Monday morning about the state's response to COVID-19.
March 16, 2020
As state of emergency declared, number of COVID-19 cases in Maine rises to 17
Photo / Maureen Milliken
Maine DHHS was awarded a federal grant that will, in part, expand the infrastructure and communications that serve public health.
By Maureen Milliken
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As the number of presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 rise in the state, Gov. Janet Mills declared a civil emergency, with recommendations that include closing schools and limiting public gatherings to 50 or less.
As of late Monday morning, there were 17 confirmed and presumptive cases in the state, and Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine CDC, said at an 11 a.m. news conference that those numbers will continue to rise.
Of the 17 cases, two are hospitalized and four are close household contacts of four other cases — there are 13 cases in Cumberland County, two in Lincoln and one each in Androscoggin and Knox.
"That being said, we are continuing to see evidence of community transmissions in and around Cumberland County and anticipate community transmission in other counties," Shah said.
He said about 100 people are also being monitored in quarantine by the CDC and there have been 764 negative tests performed by the state lab, commercial lab and MaineHealth.
He urged people to do what they normally would to stay healthy, including diet, exercise, getting enough sleep and spending time with family. He also urged people to follow Mills' recommendations.
He also asked people to be kind and take care. "We say this a lot, but I do really mean, it," Shah said. "I ask everyone in Maine to take care."
State of emergency
Meanwhile, schools across the state have closed and the Maine Legislature which was due to adjourn April 15, will adjourn Tuesday after lawmakers finalize an emergency response package.
Mills on Sunday recommended:
- Ending classroom instruction in all public schools as soon as reasonably practical.
- Postponing all non-urgent medical procedures, elective surgeries and appointments at hospitals and health care providers across the state until further notice.
- Restricting visitors and all non-essential health care personnel to long-term care facilities except for certain compassionate care situations, such as end of life until further notice.
- Postponing all events with 50 or more people all gatherings of more than 10 that include individuals who are at higher risk for severe illness, such as seniors, until further notice.
"With several new presumptive positive cases of coronavirus in Maine, it is important that we prepare and respond – but not panic," Mills said at a Sunday night news conference.
"The Maine CDC has prepared for this eventuality since last year and we are coordinating across government and with communities statewide to respond to this threat. Proclaiming a state of civil emergency unleashes critical state authorities and allows access to federal funds that will support our response efforts to delay and mitigate the outbreak in Maine. These new recommendations will also further protect Maine people."
"The Proclamation to Further Protect Public Health" signed by Mills brings the state to its highest alert, according to Mills' office, allowing her "to deploy all available state resources" to protect the health and safety of residents and taking whatever measures she deems necessary to respond to and protect against the spread of COVID-19 in Maine.
It also gives Maine more access to critical federal aid to boost response efforts, a news release from Mills' office said.
School closings
As of Monday morning, 71 public school districts, as well as the state's Catholic schools, had closed until March 29, some instituting virtual learning, some still working on plans. Four other districts had closed into April.
The Maine Department of Education has been working with school systems in preparation for school closings, and gotten a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that will allow schools to provide meals offsite to students.
Mills has also directed the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to pursue federal waivers that will help ensure additional child care capacity as schools close and parents who have to work look for solutions.
CDC testing
The CDC said of the 17 cases, two are in Lincoln County, one each in Androscoggin and Knox counties and 13 in Cumberland County. Ages range from a child under 18 to a person in their 80s in the Ocean View long-term care facility in Falmouth.
The U.S. CDC has also updated its classification of test results, no longer requiring Maine's testing lab to send samples from presumptive positive tests to the federal lab for confirmation. Moving forward, samples that test positive at HETL, the state's lab, will be classified as confirmed cases.
Cases previously classified as presumptive positive are now reclassified as confirmed cases, based on the U.S. CDC's confidence in Maine CDC's testing protocols, according to a CDC news release. Tests conducted at outside labs that were previously classified as preliminary presumptive positive will now be identified as presumptive positive tests as they await confirmation.
Across the nation, as of Friday, there were 1,629 reported cases in the U.S., with 41 deaths, according to the U.S. CDC website.
Mills' recommendations
Additionally, Mills has directed Maine DHHS to work with health care organizations on standing up child care centers for their workers along, along with other options to keep front-line workers protecting the public’s health and safety.
Hospital systems and health care providers across Maine are postponing medical procedures that aren't urgent, elective surgeries, and appointments until further notice to relieve the strain on the health care system as Maine prioritizes COVID-19-related cases.
As visitors are barred from long-term health care centers, Mills urged people to find other ways to show older people or those with chronic conditions their love, such as by calling them on the phone, writing, emailing, Skyping or Facetiming.
The recommendation on gatherings of 50 or more will "significantly enhance the previous social distancing recommendations" Mills has made. Social distancing is one of the most effective methods to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Mills and health officials said.
Aside from asking the Small Business Administration to provide support loans to businesses affected by the outbreak, Mills has also directed the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development to look for other ways ways that the state can support Maine’s small businesses, including working with the Finance Authority of Maine and other potential lending partners.
Emergency legislation
Mills' administration is also working "around the clock" to prepare emergency legislation and enact a budget that helps response to the issues presented by COVID-19 with the goal on minimizing its impact on Maine people and reducing its spread.
Legislative leaders, meanwhile, are rushing to enact legislation to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Tuesday, the Legislature will consider bills directly related to coronavirus response and other critical services, then adjourn sine die, which means without a time to reconvene set.
Other unfinished matters will be carried over until the Legislature convenes again. The statement from the Legislature Friday was a bipartisan one, made by Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash; House Speaker Sara Gideon, D-Freeport; Senate Minority Leader, Dana Dow, R- Waldoboro; and House Minority Leader Kathleen Dillingham, R-Oxford.
“Our priority is promoting and protecting the health and well-being of all Mainers and the people who work in the State House," the joint statement said. "As legislative leaders, we have decided to take the necessary precaution of suspending our legislative session as soon as possible.
“We appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue to respond to this rapidly changing public health crisis," it said. "Hundreds of lawmakers, advocates and legislative staffers come from all across the state to work at the State House each day. Suspending the legislative session to mitigate the spread of disease in our communities is the responsible thing to do."
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