COVID-19 outbreak under investigation in northern Maine town
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention says they began an investigation on Saturday in the Houlton area. Four Houlton Ambulance Service staff are among the confirmed cases. All affected individuals are isolating, according to the Maine CDC. On June 13th, a Houlton Ambulance Service crew transported a patient to Houlton Regional Hospital for non-COVID-19 reasons. The next day, the patient was transported from Houlton by a different Ambulance Service crew to Eastern Maine Medical Center for surgery. The patient, who did not display any symptoms, tested positive for COVID-19 as part of EMMC’s protocol to test patients for the virus prior to surgeries, says the Maine CDC.The two EMS teams were also tested, and the tests for all four crew members came back positive. In addition, the Maine CDC says at least two additional individuals with close contact to the EMS team members or the patient have tested positive. The source of the outbreak remains under investigation.the Maine CDC says they will be conducting contact tracing as part of the case investigation process. Testing for individuals identified as close contacts has been arranged. Additionally, individuals who believe they may have come into close with any member of the Houlton Ambulance Service since June 8th should contact Houlton Regional Hospital to pre-register for drive-through testing. Testing will be offered free of charge in the parking lot of Houlton Regional Hospital. On Monday, June 22, 2020, testing will be available from noon to 4 p.m. On both Tuesday, June 23, and Wednesday, June 24, testing will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Individuals who go to the hospital for drive-through testing are asked to wear face coverings.
HOULTON, Maine —
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention says they began an investigation on Saturday in the Houlton area. Four Houlton Ambulance Service staff are among the confirmed cases. All affected individuals are isolating, according to the Maine CDC.
On June 13th, a Houlton Ambulance Service crew transported a patient to Houlton Regional Hospital for non-COVID-19 reasons. The next day, the patient was transported from Houlton by a different Ambulance Service crew to Eastern Maine Medical Center for surgery. The patient, who did not display any symptoms, tested positive for COVID-19 as part of EMMC’s protocol to test patients for the virus prior to surgeries, says the Maine CDC.
The two EMS teams were also tested, and the tests for all four crew members came back positive. In addition, the Maine CDC says at least two additional individuals with close contact to the EMS team members or the patient have tested positive. The source of the outbreak remains under investigation.
the Maine CDC says they will be conducting contact tracing as part of the case investigation process. Testing for individuals identified as close contacts has been arranged. Additionally, individuals who believe they may have come into close with any member of the Houlton Ambulance Service since June 8th should contact Houlton Regional Hospital to pre-register for drive-through testing.
Testing will be offered free of charge in the parking lot of Houlton Regional Hospital. On Monday, June 22, 2020, testing will be available from noon to 4 p.m. On both Tuesday, June 23, and Wednesday, June 24, testing will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Individuals who go to the hospital for drive-through testing are asked to wear face coverings.
