September third two thousand and
twenty
right now in the state there are
a total of four thousand six
hundred and seventeen cases of
coke at nineteen
an increase of fifty cases of
coke at nineteen
an increase of fifty cases since
yesterday
of those cases four thousand one
hundred and forty five are
confirmed cases an increase of
forty five
and four hundred and seventy two
our probable cases an increase
of five
all across the state four
hundred and twenty four
individuals have been
hospitalized
related to but all five of whom
are in the I see you one of them
is on a ventilator
overall across the state there
have been one hundred and thirty
three individuals who have
passed away with Kobe nineteen
this includes the passing of a
man in his seventies from
Somerset County which was
reported to Maine CDC yesterday
his passing marks the one
hundred and thirty third death
associated with Kobe nineteen
across the state
we offer his family his friends
and his community
our deepest condolences during
this time of their great
since beginning our code in
activation
three thousand nine hundred and
eighty eight individuals have
recovered an increase of ten
recovery since yesterday
and among our cases are nine
hundred and eighty six health
care workers
I'm going to take a moment to
provide a little bit of context
around the fifty new cases that
Maine CDC is reporting today
of those cases
eighteen of them are from York
County
seven o'clock from perovskite
county
ten from Cumberland
in five from Androscoggin county
your county in particular
remains a focus and an area of
concern
for all of us that Maine CDC
just in the past two days
at least twenty nine confirmed
cases of covert nineteen in York
County alone
sixteen at least sixteen of
those cases have been associated
with no outbreaks
and the other thirteen at this
time our thought to be related
to community transmission
now of course our investigation
into this case is ongoing and we
may wait a return that they are
in fact associated with an
outbreak but right now at least
thirteen of those cases are from
community transmission
as a reminder that suggests that
those individuals don't have any
linkage to a known person with
covert nineteen or with a known
outbreak that is strongly
suggestive of strong on going
transmission of cobra nineteen
across your current
we've taken a closer look at the
data in your in your county
just in the past few days the
age range of those who have been
affected by Kobe nineteen spans
from a low point of people in
their twenties all the way up to
people in their seventies
so this uptake of cases of
covert nineteen in York County
is not a phenomenon that's
limited to long term care
facilities or even limited to
congregate care set
moreover the positivity rate in
your county is now one point
eight percent over the past
fourteen days
that is three times higher than
the statewide positivity rate
in addition the rate of new
cases of covert nineteen in York
County over the past fourteen
days is now seven point five
cases for every ten thousand
people of new cases just in the
past fourteen days seven point
five to put that number in
perspective the statewide
average of new cases over the
last two weeks is two point
seven five for every ten
thousand people
we've also taken a close look at
the onset dates of illness for
the recent cases we've had in
York county and what they tell
us is that transmission is
continuing and occurring within
an increasing
in York county when we look at
when individuals are getting
sick they're not telling us that
they were six three or four
weeks ago and just happen to
have gotten tested instead
they're telling us that they
first started getting sick two
or three or four days ago not
two or three or four weeks ago
right now across the state about
half of the
that main CDC is involved with
are in York County across the
entire state about half of the
outbreaks are centered in your
county
in one of the things that we've
learned over the last six months
of working without breaks of
code nineteen
is that no outbreak is an island
but this really hammers home is
that breaks are not isolated
events one outbreak can quickly
lead to several more outbreaks
especially in a close geographic
area
moreover the outbreaks of recent
days and weeks in York County
have affected numerous areas of
community like
workplaces universities and
churches
all of this means that there is
now strong evidence that the
virus is with us and in certain
parts of the state like in your
county as a result it
widespread transmission
for that reason your county in
particular remains an area of
high concern and high focus all
of us that means CDC see right
now
I want to take a moment to
provide an update on some of the
outbreaks that Maine CDC is
working on speaking about rates
let's start with an overview of
the outbreaks that have emanated
from the wedding in Millinocket
that was almost one month ago
now
right now there are one hundred
and forty four cases associated
in some way shape or form with
that August seventh wedding
fifty six of those cases are
wedding guests in their
secondary or tertiary contacts
contacts
one of the cases if someone who
is a secondary contact of a gas
also happens to be a staff
member at maple crest
in addition to that individual
at maple crest there are fifteen
additional cases at that
facility
eight of them are among
residents and seven among some
seven of them are among staff
when including that one
individual from the wedding that
now results in a total of
sixteen cases at maple crest
in addition there was one member
of the York County jail staff
who attended the wedding in
Millinocket
in addition to that one
individual at the York County
jail there are now eighteen
additional staff members who
have tested positive
forty six inmates were tested
positive at the York County jail
and seven family members of
staff who now have confirmed
code nineteen infections
all told again one hundred and
forty four cases of covert
nineteen either directly or
indirectly linked to the events
of the Millinocket wedding on
August seventh
what a closer look at the York
County jail right now
as I mentioned a moment ago
there are now seventy two total
cases associated with the jail
forty six of them are among
inmates that's an increase of
eight new cases among inmates
just in the past twenty four
hours
what's been concerning two main
CDC
is that these new these eight
new cases among inmates are in a
different part of the jail an
area of the jail where there had
not previously been cases
also there are no as I mentioned
a moment ago nineteen total
staff members associated with
the jail and the county building
and again seven family members
who are close contacts of staff
who have now tested positive
one note there have also been
ten family members that we
identified yesterday as probable
cases we have now tested
negative
we continue to work with the
York County jail retesting is
ongoing and we anticipate
receiving additional sets of
laboratory samples up here at
our lab in Augusta as the jail
continues subsequent rounds of
testing
as always our concern level
remains high for this as well as
all hell breaks we continue to
remain engaged with officials at
the jail
another breaking your county
that we are tracking and working
on very closely is that
associated with the Stanford
Calvary Baptist church three
Baptist church
where there are now ten to
eighteen that's an increase of
five cases since yesterday one
note for everyone the five new
cases associated with the
Calvary Baptist church are not
reflected in today's case count
they will however be reflected
in tomorrow's case count
we've been in regular
communication with the pastor of
this church
in fact just this morning we
sent a letter to the pastor
recapping our public health
recommendations and outlining
our expectations of compliance
around those recommendations
we offer not just
recommendations but also
assistance in obtaining things
like face coverings in
connecting parishioners and
congregants as well as others
who may have been at the church
with our contact racing program
speaking of contact tracing
I'm going to take a moment to
talk a little bit more about
contact tracing
how it works what it is and what
it is not
really walk through why and how
it is the bed rock is the
bedrock of public health
investigate to be Frank one of
the most common questions that
we get is how contact racing
works so I'd like to take the
opportunity and take a second of
everyone's time today to pull
back that curtain a little bit
when we think about contact
tracing there are two key
questions that we are trying to
answer
the first
is where folks get code nineteen
from
the second
is who might they have given it
to
contact tracing is what a us to
answer those questions
main CDC right now has nearly
one hundred people who are
working on our contact tracing
out for right now
so let's start by talking about
what contact tracing is
and put
contact tracing is just talking
with folks
it simply talking to people to
see how they're doing
nothing more nothing less
it's you talking with the main
CDC epidemiologist
in the Maine CDC epidemiologist
checking in with you
Maine CDC epidemiologist why ask
you for example who you were in
contact with prior to getting
sick
it helps us answer the first
question where you might have
gotten the disease
but the epidemiologist will also
talk to you about who you are in
contact with after you got sick
that helps us answer the second
question who might you have
given the disease to
I would be really clear
these are one hundred percent
private conversations
confidentiality
remains of paramount importance
even in a pandemic
so if you tell positive for Kobe
nineteen
and you provide us a list of
everyone of your close contacts
from the time period when you
might have been spreading the
disease around we're gonna reach
out to those folks what
we will not tell any of those
people who gave us their name or
phone number if your positive
case your caught your identity
your content
remains shrouded in secrecy
we use the information
that we generate from these
conversations
on these contacts
to identify things like
outbreaks
so when a lot of people report
to us that they were at the same
gathering at the same time in
the same place with the same
people
Matt cruiser send that there
might be going to there might be
something going on
in addition to helping us
identify these outbreaks
situations contact tracers are
there to help you
they'll help you monitor
yourself for symptoms
they'll help you stay safe at
home
they'll help you get other
assistance with everything every
day things
getting food and making sure
you've got a safe place to stay
if you need that assistance
it will be important
talk about what contact tracing
is it not
the bottom line here
is that contact tracing is it
not location tracking
it is purely talking with folks
to learn about who you yourself
have been in contact with it is
not location tracking
so how would a main CDC contact
tracer to reach out to you well
primarily will reach out to you
by phone
and when we call you contact
tracers will provide their name
there and they will know their
affiliation with main CDC and
they'll provide you with their
phone number in addition we've
also worked with cell phone
providers and so if you see on
your cell phone a missed call
that says on the caller ID Maine
CDC
that's likely to be a contact
racer it should also provide you
with a little bit more security
that when you see main CDC pop
up on your phone it's someone
who wants to chat with you
because you could have been
exposed to cope at nineteen
if you tested positive for Kobe
nineteen
I contact tracer will work with
you to identify your close
contacts
anyone who was in six feet of
you least fifteen minutes in the
days leading up to when you add
symptoms will ask for their
phone numbers as well as anyone
else you tell us about so that
we can call them and provide
care for them
we're not we're going to also
encourage you to let your
contacts know about your illness
but if you don't that's okay
we'll call those contacts to let
them know that they've been
maybe been exposed but we will
not reveal your identity to them
if you happen to be staying home
during your period of isolation
the contact tracer will discuss
any needs that you might have
and work to connect you with the
supports if you need them
so let me talk a little bit
about what a contact tracer is
gonna do
to ensure that you have the care
that you need and the support to
stay safe
contact tracer is gonna ask you
to confirm your date of birth
your address another day and
other basic information
if you're positive case
they're gonna discuss any
symptoms you might have had
whether you are hospitalized
in whether you've got any
underlying health conditions
that might put you at greater
risk
they're also going to ask about
some details around your living
situation so they can provide
you information
about how to stay safe and
avoiding infecting other people
in your household
maybe really clear about what
our contact tracer is never
going to do
contact tracing again is not
location tracking so main CDC
is never gonna to track your
self
and we're never gonna follow
your GPS location indeed we
don't have access to it
second confidentiality matters
so if your case of coke at
nineteen
your name is never going to be
released to reveal to your
contacts
also
contact tracer is never going to
ask you about your in for
immigration status
in a contact tracer is never
going to ask you for your social
security number
and a contact tracer is never
going to ask for any fan
financial information like your
bank or your credit card number
the bottom line here is that
Maine CDC contact tracers
are never gonna give you up
they're never gonna let you down
they're never gonna run around
and desert you
Maine CDC contact tracers are
never going to you cry
I'm never gonna say goodbye
and there never gonna tell a lie
and hurt you
so
your turn things over to our
colleagues in the media today
yeah our first question today
goes to Brad Rogers
our doctor
okay
I was curious what have you been
told about the protocol of the
York County jail
this is the were not using it
that you know doing at the time
of this outbreak
leading up myself
yeah
I'm pretty dissipated on a
number of close calls
yeah we we've we've it appears
that up until the time that the
first case was identified
wearing a face mask or face
coverings was not what it should
have been
we have worked with the jail
subsequent to bat to make sure
that they've got the right
recommend in place
use me for things like face
coverings and we also work with
them to furnish those face
coverings so they've got an
example an adequate supply of
mine hand we're continuing to
work with the jail to make sure
we can help them corporate
infection control measures in
place to continue reading the
spread although as I noted some
of the recent cases among
inmates have been up in a part
of a jail where they are not
previously been cases so our
concern levels high
thanks so much
I'm going to turn now to Patty
Wight Maine public
I
thank Dr Shah yes that you're in
I having regular communication
with the pastor of the Calvary
Baptist church are you able to
have verbal communication or or
has it shifted to just written
communication
I have not spoken or read a book
we've not spoken to me it really
make sure the last time I
personally spoke with the pastor
was this past Friday
other members of my team have
been in contact with them are we
over the phone but also in
writing as
and have you established a link
between that outbreak and the
wedding in Millinocket
not a direct link although that
is a focus of our investigation
through the contact tracing that
we've talked about it before we
can declare that there is a link
can be solid in our declaration
at such we've got to make sure
that everyone who may have been
involved it is in fact a
confirmed case we've got to make
sure that the timelines match up
we have to make sure that their
exposures were sufficient so
that disease may have actually
been transmitted those are some
of the elements that go into a
that linkage right now that's
what we that's really one of the
areas of our investigation
right and I got just one other
question kind of related to a
discussion on Tuesday about the
state enforcement authority over
churches
I can assure Lambert said that
under the table state of
emergency that he did have the
chance that ban to protect
public health if there's an
activity that puts people in
harm's way I'm just curious the
same applies to private
religious schools if they're not
following safety guidelines can
the state to step in if so what
can entail
it's it's a highly fact specific
inquiry as as you would imagine
Patty but in general where there
are concerns about public health
we always attempted to work with
organizations
not against them
that being said our expectation
when Maine CDC at least offers
public health guidance our
expectation is that
organizations comply with that
guides mount separate and apart
from that collaborative process
with Maine CDC
there are other sources of
authority some of them live with
the attorney general's office
some as you noted with the
somewhat the governor's office
itself depending on the
situation
pending on what we see in any
situation be it a religiously
affiliated school or any other
private organization
you know what we see that kind
of calibrates what type of
enforcement activity we take I
can give you
a firm answer about for example
in a school what route we would
take it really does depend on
what the facts are and what the
nature of the violations as
I thank you
I'm gonna turn to Joe all right
the press
hi yes five on I have a a
questions about the
about that the news that there
would be talk about vaccine
being put into production by
early November
what would the main CDC you do
to prepare for that distribution
add on are you concerned at all
about the vaccine being rushed
into production
before it's ready
sure so Joe we see a couple of
things the first is ever since
may maybe wait April Maine CDC
yeah since late April main CDC
has been working in parallel
with our
response activities we have
simultaneously been planning for
the arrival of any particular
code nineteen backseat and I
think we started that work in
earnest in in late April so I'm
going on for months now four and
a half
our focus is in network is on a
couple of things the first is it
ministration of the vaccine how
we get it out to health care
providers or for example how our
own public health nurses might
be engaged in the administration
of the vaccine the second is
around receipt and handling of
the vaccine the U. S. CDC is
announced that all vaccine
production will be diverted to
the U. S. CDC
the U. S. CDC will will then
subsequently ship at the so
we've got to have a logistics
operation in place that can
receive a massive amounts of
vaccine and then ship it out our
specials health care providers
direct in the third thing that
we've been working on is data
and this is going to be a
massive effort and we've got a
track exactly who's getting the
vaccine when they're getting it
because for example if you got
does you got a dose of the
vaccine a vaccine Hey you got to
get the exact same dose does
number to either twenty one or
twenty eight days later you
can't mix and match so we've got
to make sure we've got a I. T.
system that helps us keep to
keep all that straight
also that work has been ongoing
for four plus months now by our
immunization program
and we've we've been we've been
ramping up that after it died
many fold in the past few weeks
the water that you referenced
from Cebu SCDC director read
feel
two state health officials and
governors really really was
focused on did distribution
piece and making sure that
states have their distribution
elements in place as soon as of
November first that's again
going it keep focus of ours
you ask about concerns over any
rush around a vaccine in the
bottom line is that I would be
concerned and that situation we
we've all read reports that that
rush may occur it's too early to
judge what might happen but what
I will say
in this situation if the U. FDA
word to proceed with an
abbreviated process
and approval vaccine through the
emergency use authorization
I think that would raise
concerns
in an open space there is the
inherent risk of approving and
releasing a vaccine
for full completion of the phase
three trials
there are of course the
attendant concerns that that
would have around erosion of
faith in confidence in the
public health system
they're are also smaller but
equally important concerns
around how this would just
crater participation in phase
three trials why participate in
a trial if the vaccine is down
the street and available it also
raises harder questions around
whether individuals might say
well Hey I got a vaccine now I
don't need to engage in mask
wearing so I would have concerns
if that route were followed it's
too early to say which route
will be followed but that's how
my colleagues and I across the
other forty nine states are
thinking about this
if I could just break quickly
follow up on the on that pastor
at Calvary Baptist church and he
said you sent a letter
and that your staff is been in
communication with them has he
has he been cooperative to your
knowledge about wanting to
follow the public health
recommendations
okay we've had good
communication
with the pastor and he's been
responsive but we also need to
make sure that it's more than
just communication we're having
we need to make sure that the
communication is coupled with
responsive action
I'm gonna turn now to Alison
Ross at W. M.
hi doctor shot thank you so much
for taking my questions actually
going along the lines of that
previous question back so what
when or if that vaccine is ready
by November
the U. kind of touched on this
before but then what would be
the hiking order for who would
get that back in first are we
talking about first responders
or would it be other front line
workers and then who is kind of
lower down the road with the bat
so Allison in this respect what
we've been doing is is following
and in many cases participating
in the national conversation
that is being had by at the
National Academy of science they
have been tasked with helping to
at least kick off the
conversation about that
prioritize ation system skin
ordering that you know that just
a couple of days ago actually
the national academies working
group on this matter released a
preliminary draft report it's
publicly available and what they
outlined was a system under
which the very first folks who
would be getting the vaccine and
the first phase of distribution
would be many of the groups that
you noted Allison this would be
frontline health care workers
this would be individuals who
work in and who are residents of
long term care facilities and
this would be groups like first
responders
there was an in phase one of the
vaccine there will be far more
demand than there is supply and
so one of the difficult
questions is who is going to be
closer to the front of the line
and it reached the initial draft
from the National Academy
suggested those groups once
those groups have been
vaccinated and are able to
continue providing care for
people of course their daily job
then there's a secondary group
this is groups like
local infrastructure workers
it's about nature who are
equally important in keeping our
society going and then as you go
through and as vaccine
availability ramps up more and
more and more individual groups
would be invited to get in line
to make sure that they can get
the vaccine no final decisions
have been made at the state
level or at the national level
it's part of an ongoing
conversation and I I speculate I
guess I I hypothesized
that one of the things that were
all going to be talking about
over the next several weeks and
months is this exact question of
how is vaccine gonna to be
distributed and when our folks
going to be getting it
turnout Evan pop at the main
beacon
I don't think
so my question is about the
schools
so drafted the standard
operating procedure for schools
was released recently
in states that since school
staff are considered essential
workers even if they are in
close contact
with a confirmed case they may
not return to work so long as
there are no
substitute school staff
available to school members take
a perfect reflection control
precautions
including the use of PP
and the staff remain in
quarantine outside of work so
I'm wondering
what thinking went into that
specific part of the draft
and could that
part be revised later on based
on the possible impacts
of allowing staff members to
return or so I mean it is it is
a draft document we put it out
there for the very purpose that
that was for the discussions
that we're having right now we
want folks to get a sense of
what we're thinking right now
before we start having cases let
alone the potential for
outbreaks in schools as a result
of any part of that document
could be modified based on
feedback as well as involving
science around the management
Kobe nineteen with respect to
teachers
ever since the early days of the
outbreak of the pandemic
there has been a doctrine
developed for so called
essential workers those who are
essential vital to keeping
things going
please who fall under one of the
essential worker designations
cannot not must but can
go back to their job if they've
been exposed
why did they have on P. B. E. N.
other safeguards to reduce the
likelihood that they may expose
others this is if they've been
exposed not if they're a
confirmed case but if they've
been exposed
so it's going to be a balance
all this guidance document sets
is that if the school official
in their judgment determines
that the teacher cannot be out
of the classroom because the
implications on classroom
education the impact on that
would be too great they have the
option not a requirement but the
option of having that teacher
remained in the classroom
provided they've got all the
appropriate PP and other
safeguards it's not a
requirement it's an option
your children will be one that
school officials will have to
make based on the operational
considerations at the school
itself we have Maine CDC of
course will be standing by to
help them operationalize what
their decision is could that
guidance the change most
certainly if the categorization
of teachers as essential workers
were a change at the federal
level you could change but we
are keeping tabs on that this is
our current thinking depending
on how the outbreak management
controls that document itself
may change
and and just to follow up on
that is there any sort of
timeline for training
that from a draft into sort of a
final document or is that just
an ongoing
conversation as as you see how
things go to schools it's a
little bit of both
right now we're finalizing our
our our our meetings with the
department of education around
taking that draft stamp off the
document so that it can be an
actual
document that is in effect but
at the same time as you'll note
on that document in the upper
end the very first page there's
a box that says revised on we
and we anticipate because this
is a scientific endeavor what we
know today about the management
of covert nineteen as well as
the impact of covert nineteen on
children what we know today will
not be the same as what we know
next week so we design SO peas
to account for and allow for
that changing science that's why
right on the top of that
document we know that there is a
there there will be revisions to
it and we provide a space so
that everyone is aware when and
how the document is change so
it's going to be a document that
we continue to update as the U.
S. CDC and others in the
scientific community developing
deeper understanding about Kobe
nineteen in schools
thank you
you're gonna turn and we cannot
get at W. A. B. I.
thanks so much for taking my
questions
I have three different ones
today I'm the first one is with
your county being such a concern
for the CDC is there talk of
putting certain restrictions in
place again
so you know with the way that we
think about breaks is that all
options are on the table
right that's not where we're
focused on that's not the top
thing that we're going to
and that's all of course always
on the list of potential policy
options but frankly there are
other options that we look to
first like more aggressive
contact tracing I could be more
folks with PP
and courage in greater use of
face coverings and physical
distancing those are the things
that we think and it science has
shown
bang for the Buck with respect
to tamping down on Kobe nineteen
in different places
all options are on the table but
we have to think about where
we're going to get the most
advocacy for anything any single
activity we undertake and the
things that I outlined a moment
ago contact tracing more
widespread use of PP
making sure that everyone's got
a face covering so they can wear
one those are the things that we
know will have a greater impact
right now
okay the next question comes
from our sports reporter
when exactly were approved
guidelines created by the NBA
for all sports out of compliance
with state community sports
guidelines before or after the
September first update
that is a good question
I believe that what you know
what I'm not a hundred percent
sure I but I believe it was
before but I mean I just confirm
to make sure that my
understanding comports with the
the time line of the MPA so
we'll make sure I get out we'll
make sure we get back to you on
that
you know I think more generally
which right now is as we think
about school sports
the thinking is let's make sure
we get the school part down Pat
before we go into the sports
part a let's get things like
home room down I think we can
all agree that making sure that
the fundamentals are in place is
really the right step right now
I I is the way I think about it
is that we should really be
making sure we can walk before
we run both literally and
metaphorically in this case
okay and last question the U. S.
C. C. is relaxing some of its
travel guidance
is there any possibility that
will be relaxing some sheer
allowing more states to be exact
and people working all coming in
so when we we are but several on
weekly basis if not multiple
times per week are taking a look
at the data around Corbett
nineteen not just in our state
not just in our counties but
across the across the country
specifically with respect to the
northeast
we took a look at the data not
too long ago and at that time
there were no other states in
the northeast that meant the
epidemiological criteria
for being allowed to come to
Maine without having a test or
having quarantine
those criteria again being that
they are as safe if not safer
than the situation in Maine
right now we still encourage
visitors from the states to come
to Maine and S. testing
availability has increased in
places like Massachusetts and
Rhode Island we hope we believe
they'll be able to get a test
before they come so there's not
a barrier but we also want to
make sure will simultaneously
keeping main people say
thank you
are gonna turn out a Charlie at
the BDN
I'm
sorry your
right out your next Amy brown at
W. E. are you come back to
Charlie thank you Dr Shah of
following up on the enforcement
questions back in back to the
Calvary church outbreak
does the state's enforcement
authority only come into play
when it some a gathering has
exceeded the recommended number
of people for that space or
of
as in at the cal Calvary church
if they're worse fewer than the
number of people who are allowed
to gather but they were close
together and having choir
practice and not wearing masks
does the state step in does have
the authority to step in and
enforce that part of the
executive orders as well
so either there are multiple
routes through which enforcement
could it be a
I don't want to speculate as to
what we might do in any
particular situation and
certainly not with respect to
any particular entity
that again is how we fact
dependent as well as we were as
I was talking about with Betty
white very fact specific so I I
don't want to speculate or a
plan on hypotheticals but I will
say is that any of the
mechanisms that you outlined a
given that they are noted and
and heard of governor mills is
orders all day they do
constitute the basis for
enforcement whether it is the
gathering limit which stands at
fifty people indoors or one
hundred people outdoors
or the requirement to wear face
coverings or the requirement to
maintain physical distance if
those requirements are not abide
it they are almost per se
violations of the executive
order the conditions under which
enforcement is appropriate again
hi we specific but on their own
they would constitute violations
of the executive order then it
becomes a question of where we
go from there okay just a follow
up to that and have a nother
unrelated question
is anyone continuing to monitor
the situation with the church
services there and also the
situation in jails across the
state where prisoners are
potentially being exposed to
this
very deadly disease and don't
really have any recourse for
that right now sure with respect
to the churches
our expectation when we work
with any owner operator manager
of any facility whether it's a
restaurant a construction site
church or healthcare facility we
have a strong expectation of
compliance
we set the boundaries of what is
best for public health we put
those recommendations
in writing in most cases and we
then expect compliance
that is our expectation not just
in the setting of a church but
no matter
we expect compliance with
respect to correctional
facilities although Maine CDC is
involved there are respectfully
very me I would I would ask that
you check in with the department
of corrections there are a more
close we
N. with respect to what's going
on at jails and prisons across
the state they would have the
primary eyes on what's going on
in those facilities okay and
given the high percentage of
people who attended that wedding
I think it's a approximately
half of the people who are in
attendance who contracted Kobe
and how quickly it spread is
there any chance that this is a
different different stronger
strain of cove it is the CDC or
anyone monitoring what if the
different variants of cove it we
have in the state
we are working with the Jackson
laboratory to undertake a
genetic analysis
of samples of coded positive
individuals for Maine so we can
compare the genetic make up of
the virus or virus is are
circulating in Maine against
those that are circulating
across the globe
but what we what is more likely
to have happened on the August
seventh wedding is that one or
more individuals like to be more
than one individual came to the
wedding already positive with
Kobe and so rather than this
being one individual
it was likely to be more than
one individual and those that
that panel of folks are likely
to have spread the disease more
widely more more efficiently in
this case and it had been just
one person that's all right Bob
this is right now and it seems
to line up with the onset date
of symptoms that people
experience very difficult to get
to one hundred percent certainty
in these situations but that's
how we that's how epidemiology
sort of backs into what we
believe to be the strongest
inference right thank you
I'm gonna go back to Charlie are
you with us
I I am thank Dr Shah yeah my
call drop before for some reason
and so
my first question is about the
York County jail today he
county manager at talk a little
bit about the outbreak and he
said that
they have been putting inspected
in may have been in one unit of
the jail and and
I played tell them then people
who may have been exposed to
them in that you may have been
exposed to them and at at
separate unit in single and
double thousand I I just because
you mentioned that there is now
been catered detected in other
units of the jail do you know if
it was that area where
possible capers were being
isolated or do you have any
additional information about
where in the jail that was
Charlie at this time so we we
just learned of these additional
cases from the last hour
laboratory
just maybe five or sio
so out as part of our
investigation process contact
racing process we now will of
course go back to these
additional cases and figure out
exactly where within the jail
they work and where they were
house but what our very initial
investigation revealed is that
they were not in the heart of
the jail where individuals who
were positive or exposed for
being house that is to say they
were in a part of the jail where
there had not been known cases
or exposures more investigation
is needed there Charlie I want
to be really clear that is not a
definitive conclusion that's a
preliminary conclusion
that's one of the things are
epidemiologists
are working with the jail if on
today to shore up and get a
better understanding of but I
think it's it's illustrative of
the fact that code nineteen is
an opportunistic virus and
despite the best attempts to
place individuals into cohorts
and eliminate inter any
intermingling among them there's
still the possibility that the
virus can be an unintended gas
or piggy back on to somebody and
introduce itself into new areas
more investigation is still
needed though Charlie and what
will probably have some updates
on that maybe not today but
probably early next week
okay and
sort of in another part of the
related to the wedding outbreak
acts we start from just the
regular reports for me T. T.
that there that a person from
Somerset County who who died of
coded related reasons on at some
point in the last few days that
is what that that was that a
person a resident or staff
member of maple crest
rehabilitation
I'm sorry I
I'm not able to confirm that for
reasons of patient privacy
what I will tell you is that
there are now
two deaths that have been
associated with the Millinocket
wedding
okay for privacy reasons I I
can't say more than that
okay you can't buy anything
about where that back reported
death happened or anything like
that unfortunately not all all I
can say is that there was a man
in his seventies from Somerset
County
that I'm sorry that was done
you're saying that would be the
second death in the wedding
outbreak or or just that there
was that a man of that age
income affect how you died
both actually it
okay I'm sorry look on at that
another way to make it more
clear no was there a man in his
seventies from Somerset County
who died in connection to the
wedding outbreak
yes
okay thank you
Terry next to Dustin at New
England cable news
after shop first off can you
give this situation in your
county and overall the state
right now some context both in
how it's affecting
Maine's overall
open nineteen situation and also
your concern level has been
higher at some point this year
than it is right now
so for context Dustin you know
it is the situation in York
county is driving many of the it
is driving much of what we are
seeing in our numbers across the
state also I I think I mentioned
if I if I did not go over that
again of the fifty cases today
eighteen of them are from your
county or as seven or from our
from the knob Scott turned from
Cumberland drive from
Androscoggin and the remainder
scattered across the state so
right now just for today what
about in the past week or two
what we what we see happening in
your county with about half of
the outbreaks that are currently
open an active in the state
being centered in in York county
what we're seeing is a situation
of multi focal outbreaks within
a small geographic area that in
and of themselves are generating
a high number of cases
in addition to that those
outbreaks are also generating
community transmission
individuals may be
maybe associated with those
outbreaks be a symptomatic or
pre symptomatic
unknowingly infect other people
and their lives who then also
test positive but as far as they
are aware have no known
connection because they may have
they may have picked up coded
from one of these intermediate
carriers as well as I mentioned
this in the past two days there
have been twenty nine cases and
about thirteen of those cases
don't seem to have any linkage
to unknown outbreak
so
a lot of what we're seeing in
the state right now is being
generated by your county's
outbreaks and their increasing
cases
you ask about my concern level
you know what what I would what
I would say is you know Dustin
there there have been times
thus far during coded where my
concern level has been equally
high if not maybe even greater
preserve me when we work
contending with situations
that were generating a high
number of fatalities
going back to some prominent
outbreaks at nursing homes and
memory care facilities those of
course exact more of a human
toll and thus raise all of our
concerns as well as our sorrows
what concerns me a bit about
your county however is the
disseminated
nature of the outbreaks they're
spread essentially over a county
as opposed to a nursing facility
which is discreet and generally
more contained
I am concerned that if we do not
get a grip on what's going on in
your county it has the potential
to spiral and start affecting
adjacent parts of the state in
the not too distant future
and then what's your message for
people with out side of main
traveling
for Labor Day weekend your he
has a lot of beaches should
anyone be taking any extra
precautions going into that area
it's gonna be nice tomorrow for
instance
you know doesn't
my message for folks who are
wanting to come to Maine or
travel within Maine is please do
so it's it's gonna be a glorious
weekend I'm gonna talk about
Labor Day and just a second but
we want you to come here if
you're from a state where
there's not a travel exemption
we want you to get a negative
test
but you asked Justin about
whether there are special or
extra precautions that need to
be taken for folks visiting York
county and the answer is that
the same precautions that we
have talked about apply with
equal force wondering your view
whether you are in your county
or another part of the state
those are things like making
sure you're wearing a face
covering introducing physical
distance between you and your
partner and anyone else that's
out there
what science has shown with
respect to Kobe nineteen over
the past several months is that
those two things coupled with
hand washing but really truly
face coverings coupled with
physical distance are two of the
strongest pieces that we've got
in our armamentarium
to reduce transmission of code
nineteen you need to do more
than that you just need to
follow both of those things
because good hygiene principles
to ATP
everyone read do that we can get
a grip on code nineteen not just
statewide not just your county
but nationwide and so for anyone
is planning to go down to your
county this weekend thank my
family and I were talking about
where we were gonna go hiking
this weekend and not agamid
tickets was on our list our view
is to make sure when we do that
to keep face coverings on and
keep distance
well I'm gonna turn out and Joe
ABC seven
thank you
my question revolves around
yesterday
our company shop in Bangor close
down because they are so they
have one confirmed positive case
and I was just wondering if you
had any more information around
that I know it's going to twenty
four hours but they did say they
were in contact with you and
also that and on the Facebook
post their response to one of
the questions was the employee
hasn't worked there in a week
can you give us a clear timeline
on when the last time they
worked
I sure Joe so we we we
when we start working with
facilities is generally when
they reach out break status we
work with individuals
prior to them being an outbreak
status so we would be working
with the end employee
in this situation not so much
that this facility
I can't comment on any
individual patient related data
about when they may have worked
or when their last day at work
was when I will tell you is that
restaurants across Maine in this
case including the Portland pie
company follow best public
health principles to reduce the
likelihood of introducing
Corbett nineteen any of their
customers but unfortunately Joe
like I can't really comment
anything more on individual
cases
thank you you better are gonna
turn the kickoff at the
Ellsworth American
thanks doctor shot so my first
question is can you add I think
you said nine hundred and eighty
six our workers charter he don
Mong they confirm confirmed
cases
you can give us a break down of
that at all yeah are are are
used largely
you know physicians are and they
ambulance workers are they C. N.
A.'s you have any information on
that sure okay we can get you
better a bit more of a granular
breakdown of who is in contest
with in our definition of health
care worker one of the things
that I want to note when we
think about health care workers
inco in nineteen
the question to keep in mind is
whether in the health care
workers got coded nineteen as
part of their work as a health
care worker or whether they got
it in the community and thus
could have potentially exposed
others so when we think about
health workers the reason we are
concerned is for the possibility
about at a health care worker
could be getting infected as
part of their job but also that
they could have been inspected
in the community and completely
unknowingly introduced into a
facility that's why we pay such
close attention to them again we
can get you a better break of
what we deem it who we consider
to be healthcare workers
thank you and then my second
question is so there were some
reports
out of New York during their
hide it the head of the outbreak
there that there was some
basically bureaucratic red tape
that prevented people who needed
to be transferred between
hospitals from from being
transferred
and I'm just I'm wondering you
know thankfully we're not that's
not the case here we are not
seeing a surge in cases right
now but if we do see a certain
cases in the fall and winter are
their contracts and is there a
plan in place to make sure that
patients who need to be
transferred you know between
hospitals that may not be
affiliated with one another can
you know that that can happen
smoothly
sure K. so the answer is that
that has not happened in Maine
it did not happen in Maine and
because of the planning that
we've done since the beginning
of the year we don't anticipate
that it would happen in Maine we
worked very closely with
emergency medical personnel as
well as hospitals as well as
what they're saying so that
patients need to be transferred
to a higher acuity to so or
across the seventies we've got
the system in place to make sure
that happens
thank
I'm gonna turn out of Patrick
will at the eighty eight
thank you very much
one of the make certain I
followed so numbers correctly
the Sanford outbreak has grown
from five to ten is that correct
right Patrick okay great and
sorry Patrick sorry to cut you
out that's these break
associated with the Calvary
Baptist church me right yeah
that I should've been more
specific about that
is there is there anything more
you can tell us about the
state's investigation into
into what's into what's going on
there and it's it's overlap with
the other with the other cases
and also I'm curious if you have
any
any thoughts on the
investigation that York County
opened up into the into the jail
operations what we could
potentially learn from that
I'll start with the church
right now Patrick where are the
focus of our investigation well
there are many cyber but one of
them of course is to try to get
a better understanding
of how Kobe odd could have been
introduced into that church
community and whether it was in
any way related to the events at
the Millinocket waiting on
August seventh
we've got hypotheses but we we
don't we're not there yet in
terms of announcing a linkage
the other focus of the
investigation is on the contact
tracing he's
like to take a moment to
encourage
anyone who is a member or who
has visited the Calvary Baptist
church in Sanford
if you believe you may have been
in contact with somebody
please do two things the first
is reach out to the main CDC
you may have already been given
are listed as a contact as I
talked about when I talked about
our contact racing process in it
so you're probably already in
touch with the contractors
but if not we'd like to work
with you so we can keep you safe
and healthy
so those are the two areas of
focus right now in our
investigation Patrick again it's
kind of the same schema writ
large where did the virus come
from and who might it have been
transmitted to are with respect
to the investigation you know to
Patrick I'm aware of that
announcement but don't have
anything further to share
comments on
our final question of the
afternoon goes to Bob Evans from
new center
thank you Dr
I have about your questions
you mention providing masking
equipment to the York County
jail earlier with the new area
of the jail now having outbreaks
how can the jail continue to
have more cases
if they're following their
state's recommendation
our end is enough being done at
the jail do you believe you are
stop the spread of the disease
that's that's certainly the
focus of our investigation Bob
we we want to make sure that
everything that can be done is
recommended and that every
recommendation is coupled with
the resource says to put it into
place
in this situation we've got to
make sure we've got a better
sense of the time line of when
individuals be especially these
newest cases could have been
exposed and where they were in
the jail it's possible and again
as I was talking about with
Charlie we've got to know
whether these individuals were
those who had already been
exposed and thus it might not be
surprising that they've now
developed code nineteen or
alternately worthy in a part of
the jail where there had been no
exposures whatsoever that's the
focus of the investigation we
just learned of these cases from
our laboratory a handful of
hours ago so our our team of
epidemiologists those disease
detectives are kicking into high
gear you get all the facts on
these newest cases we should
know more and then in the coming
days
okay and I have a viewer
question as well
a viewer wrote to us with a
question stating they noticed on
your website data
that the corona virus rate of
spread among the twenty to
thirty year old group is
expanding way faster than other
age categories
they said they noticed that
about a week ago the fifty year
old grow at the highest
percentage of infection
now the twenty year old group
has exceeded them by more than
forty cases in a very short time
is this related to the wedding
outbreak order college testing
or what do you believe is going
on
well Bob you know I'm just about
to talk about Labor Day
installments your question and
then segue into a discussion
about the next couple days
any answer Bob is that it's a
little bit of all of those
things there have been a handful
of cases now identified amongst
collagen and university students
so that's a contributor
many of the attendees at the
wedding on August seventh in
Millinocket we're also in that
twenty eight of forty age
bracket also a contributor in
addition many of the new cases
that have been identified in
your county have been among
younger people as well also a
contributor
we've also seen decreases in the
number of new cases and
outbreaks at nursing homes so on
a percentage basis the number of
younger people getting infected
is gone up and the number of
older individuals who have been
exposed and getting infected has
gone down and that's on a
percentage basis the impact of
the increase among younger folks
is magnified
which takes me away but
many of us are gearing up for
Labor Day gatherings and
celebrations this weekend
if we learned nothing about code
nineteen over the past six weeks
six months
weather in Maine or from other
parts of the country it has been
one thing
coded nineteen Wykes holidays
you can make an uninvited
appearance at just about any
backyard gathering barbecue or
brunch that you might have
planned this weekend
I understand that I mean let's
face it when we're celebrating
with our friends and family we
let our guard down it's natural
to do that
now coming into a weekend like
Labor Day in a non coated era my
normal message to everybody
would be to be careful on the
road this weekend be careful in
the water this weekend
this year my message my task
is to be careful in your own
backyard
or in your own front yard bring
your own dining room because one
of the largest threats that we
face this holiday as well as in
prior holidays is covert
nineteen
as we have learned all too well
in Maine over the past three
weeks coded nineteen can crash a
party literally where we least
expect
now I'll be the first to admit
it has been a cruel summer
around I had it right
it is we look into the
unofficial end of the summer we
know that this will mean that
there will be a lot of
celebrations this weekend
my task for all of you is to
please be doing the same things
we've talked about for so many
months now as I mentioned a
moment ago
one of the areas in which the
science around covert nineteen
as cold last
is that two things really set
apart the prevention steps that
you and your family can take
wearing a face covering and
staying physically distant but
least six feet from everybody
around you is that easy to do
during a celebration or
gathering or Labor Day barbecue
no is it fun absolutely not is a
little awkward to be the one
person at a barbecue wearing a
face covering most definitely
I've been there but I ask you to
do it and I ask you to set the
norm where every single event
that you might be going to for
the next three or four days is
one at which everyone is wearing
a face covering or that want to
work everyone is staying at
least six feet apart from one
doing both of those things as
well as things like washing your
hands can help us get a grip on
code nineteen
the honest truth is everyone I'm
I'm concerned
I'm concerned because Maine has
done so well
I'm concerned that if current
trends continue we might lose
our grip on code nineteen
so I'm asking you as you go into
the celebratory weekend the end
of summer the end of this cruel
summer
please do your part to help us
keep a grip on code nineteen
I'm celebration and
I encourage everyone to do so
and do so in a way that doesn't
keep the numbers is growing in
such a fashion as we've seen
recently
at some point early nineteen
will be behind us
when I ask everyone to think
about this weekend
is whether we want Labor Day to
be the story that is told about
when everything in code nineteen
changed in may
about whether we were back on
Labor Day in the same way that
other states have looked back on
Memorial Day for the fourth of
July and said that's when it all
went which
we don't want that to happen
here so please do your part this
weekend hello everyone in your
family hello everyone in your
community stay safe
I like to thank everyone for
their time today thank you all
for joining in as always please
be kind take care of one another
and we'll talk again on
