PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday it has issued a citation of imminent health hazard to a Millinocket inn that was the site of a wedding associated with a coronavirus outbreak.
There are 32 cases of the virus associated with the wedding, Maine CDC director Nirav Shah.
Shah said the Big Moose Inn exceeded the state’s indoor gathering limit, among other violations of state rules. The citation does not carry an immediate fine, but a fine could result if the inn does not comply with the investigation.
Shah said the inn has signaled it will comply. One person is hospitalized as a result of the outbreak, which affected people age 4 to 78, he said.
“The median age is 42,” Shah said. “Most of the cases that have been detected thus far are individuals who are symptomatic.”
About 65 people attended the Aug. 7 event. A representative for the Big Moose Inn declined to comment.
In other news related to the coronavirus pandemic in Maine:
PORTLAND SCHOOLS
The largest school district in Maine has approved a plan for the upcoming school year that will mix in-person learning with remote instruction.
The Portland Board of Public Education unanimously approved the proposal on Wednesday. The school year will begin on Sept. 14.
The proposal calls for elementary students to return to school full time on Oct. 13. The possibility of more in-person learning for middle schoolers is scheduled to be reassessed after the first trimester, school officials said.
The plan also calls for students in grades 10 through 12 to take courses remotely four days a week and receive in-person instruction in a learning center one day a week. District officials said they hope to “maximize in-person learning time for students in grades 10-12 starting in October.”
The district has more than 6,700 students.
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JOBLESS CLAIMS
The number of claims for continued unemployment assistance in Maine dipped about 8% in the second week of August, though unemployment in the state remains high.
The Maine Department of Labor said Thursday there were more than 70,000 continued claims for assistance during the week. The number of individuals filing an initial claim was 1,500, which was about the same as the week that preceded it.
The labor department said it has paid about $1.38 billion in federal and state unemployment benefits since March 15. It said it’s also continuing to investigate for unemployment impostor fraud. The department said it canceled about 575 initial claims and 60 weekly certifications that were found to be fraudulent during the week that ended Aug. 15.
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CASES COUNT
Maine has had more than 4,200 reported cases of the virus. State public health officials announced an additional death from the virus on Thursday. The state has been the site of 128 deaths from the coronavirus.
The coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.
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BUSINESS GRANTS
The administration of Democratic Gov. Janet Mills said Thursday it’s using $200 million in federal CARES Act dollars to help businesses and nonprofit organizations that have been disrupted by the pandemic. The governor’s office said the grants are intended to help “provide short-term relief to help stabilize Maine’s economy” and not to replace lost profits.
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SWAB SITES
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services and MaineHealth said Thursday they are launching five new “swab and send” sites to expand access to coronavirus testing. The sites in Damariscotta, Rockport, Brunswick, Norway and Farmington open next week.
The state now has 27 of the sites. The health department said in a statement that about 90% of Maine residents can now get tested within a half-hour of their home.
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BISHOP LETTER
Bishop Robert P. Deeley of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland issued a letter to Maine Catholics stating that the diocese would continue to follow safety protocols as more people return to church.
Public Masses resumed on June 1. Deeley’s letter asked “those in vulnerable populations to continue to give serious consideration to whether you should be participating in public Masses at this time or, instead, making your spiritual communion online or on television.”
The letter also asked parishioners to remember that rules requiring masks and limiting large gatherings are intended to protect the community.
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