Maine CDC to scale back COVID-19 investigations, as daily case numbers skyrocket - Press Herald

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday that it will scale back case investigation in light of the recent uncontrolled spread of COVID-19.

Going forward, investigations will be launched only for the following groups: Individuals under 18 or over 65; health care workers and first responders, those who are hospitalized, those with disabilities, people living or working in congregate living facilities and individuals associated with schools or child care facilities.

“The changes I’ve outlined have been very challenging,” Maine CDC director Dr. Nirav Shah said in a media briefing Monday. “There were no easy choices in front of us.”

Maine’s COVID-19 cases surged on Monday, with 427 new cases reported, another one-day record. No additional deaths were reported.

The previous record was 349 new cases on Dec. 2. The seven-day daily average stood at 291.1 on Monday, compared with 168.1 a week ago and 156 a month ago. In mid-October, the seven day daily average was about 30 cases. York County reported 110 new cases on Monday, while Cumberland County logged 93, with 66 new cases in Kennebec County and 64 in Androscoggin County.

“We’ve hit another mark that I hoped we would never hit,” Shah said in a tweet. “Sadly, this may not be the last time.”

Over the past 28 days, Androscoggin County had the highest COVID-19 case rate per capita, at 68.34 per 10,000 population. The next highest was York County at 45.85, while Cumberland County’s stood at 39.46.

Shah had warned on Friday the agency was considering refocusing its efforts because the “ferocious” increase in new cases is leaving employees struggling to keep up with tasks such as contact tracing.

A pedestrian crosses High Street in downtown Portland in mid-November. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

The surge in cases in Maine and across the United States comes as vaccines near approval. Pfizer’s vaccine candidate may receive Food and Drug Administration emergency use approval as soon as later this week, with the first shipments of the vaccine reaching states early next week. A second vaccine developed by Moderna could receive FDA approval by Dec. 17, with shipments beginning shortly thereafter.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced on Saturday she had tested negative for COVID-19. She had been exposed to the virus by a member of her security detail, but they had both been wearing masks.

“Masks work! And I’m proof,” Mills said in a statement on Saturday. Last week, Mills announced an extension of a 9 p.m. curfew for certain businesses, such as restaurants and movie theaters, to Jan. 3, in an attempt to curb transmission.

Overall, there have been 13,775 cases of COVID-19 in Maine since the pandemic began, and 227 deaths. On Monday, 170 people were being treated as inpatients in Maine hospitals, with 52 in critical care beds.

This story will be updated.

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