MILLINOCKET, Maine (AP) — Two dozen Maine residents tested positive for the coronavirus after a wedding reception this month in Millinocket, officials said Monday.
Eighteen people who attended the reception and six others who had close contact with attendees subsequently tested positive, the Maine Center for Disease Control said in a statement.
All told, about 65 people attended the gathering Aug. 7 at the Big Moose Inn in Millinocket, officials said.
Millinocket Town Manager John Davis said Monday that he didn’t have all the details about the outbreak, but said there was enough concern to close town hall and local schools as a precaution.
“We didn’t want to take any chances,” he said Monday.
The Maine CDC was communicating with Big Moose Inn about the nature of the event and adherence to state requirements. A telephone message left at the inn was not immediately returned on Monday.
Guidelines for social events call for limits of 50 people indoors, if there’s adequate space, and 100 people outdoors. People who attend social gatherings must wear cloth masks and maintain social distancing.
Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine CDC, planned to address the outbreak during a regular briefing on Tuesday. A Maine CDC spokesman didn’t return a message seeking further comment on Monday.
In Maine, nearly 4,200 people have contracted the virus, including 29 additional cases reported on Monday. The number of deaths remained unchanged at 127 on Monday, the Maine CDC said.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
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