A surge in Maine coronavirus cases over the past two weeks, according to health officials

Asked if the recent surge was due to a Labor Day gathering, Shah said, “I’m assuming Labor Day activity is a factor,” but “as a scientific matter, there is clear evidence. Absent”. He said contact tracing was in progress.

As another worrying sign, Shah said the median age of people infected with the virus had dropped significantly.

From March 1st to May, he said the median age was 51.3 years. It dropped to 41.4 from June 1st to September and hovered at 40 in September.

Shah was asked if he felt that the reopening of school or college might explain the declining trend of age. He may be at work with better infection control measures in a collective care environment such as a nursing home and other factors such as “resumption of economic and social activity”, especially among young residents. Said there is.

“Is it related to the university? It’s possible,” he said, saying that the number of new cases on the university campus in Maine has accounted for “a small part” of the total number of new infections since August 1. Stated.

Over the past two weeks, new cases have been seen in all 16 counties in Maine, and 412 of the 488 infections were not associated with any known outbreaks under investigation, he said.

The data confirm that authorities have been suspicious: the virus is “everywhere in the state, and each of us is potentially vulnerable to the virus,” he said. He urged Mainers to continue to take precautions such as face coverings and physical distance.

At the same time, according to Shah, Maine outperforms the rest of the country in controlling the spread of deadly transmissions.

He said the 7-day positive test rate was 0.49%, compared to 5% nationwide. He said that Maine’s higher rate of testing than other countries is another factor in the increase in case numbers.

As of Thursday, Maine had 459 tests per 100,000 people, while other countries had about 250 tests per 100,000 people, he said.

Shah and state health and welfare commissioner Jeanne Lambreu also briefed reporters and urged mainners to be vaccinated against the flu as winter approached.

Lambrew also announced a $ 1 million program funded by the Federal COVID-19 Relief Dollar to support infection prevention and control measures in apartment buildings such as group homes.

Lambrew’s agency said in a statement that nursing homes must meet separate state and federal standards and are already funded by the state’s free, low-cost health insurance company, MaineCare. Is not included in.

According to the statement, the initiative is a “free expert consultation” on infection control in qualified facilities such as private non-medical facilities, living support facilities, adult family care facilities, and memory care facilities, in addition to group homes. To support.

Lambrew told reporters that nurses and other health professionals would be sent to the facility to review infection control policies and practices and prepare for new safety regulations that will come into force early next year. He said he would support the formulation.

“In Maine and across the country, COVID-19 struck the residents and staff of the meetinghouse care facility particularly violently,” Lambrew said in a statement. “This coordinated clinical consultation reduces the risk of infection among people in Maine who are very sensitive to the virus and improves the consistency of infection prevention and management in these settings.”

Her words were also reflected in a statement by Democratic Governor Janet Mills.

“The collective care environment, which includes many Maine people who call them homes, is particularly vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. This investment allows staff to access training and resources. You will be able to support your home. In this ongoing pandemic, you need to keep your population healthy. “

Travis Andersen can be reached at [email protected].. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe..