Mon, 08/17/2020 - 5:00pm

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) said Aug. 17 that it has opened an investigation into a COVID-19 outbreak associated with a wedding reception at Big Moose Inn in Millinocket. A total of 24 individuals associated with the August 7 event have tested positive for COVID-19.

Of that total, Maine CDC has identified 18 individuals who attended the reception and six others who had close contact with reception attendees.

Approximately 65 guests attended the event. All of the confirmed cases are Maine residents.

Maine CDC continues to conduct case investigations and contact tracing for guests, staff, and people who potentially came in close contact with confirmed cases during and after the event, according to an Aug. 17 release.

An outbreak is defined as three or more cases that are epidemiologically linked.

Anyone who attended an event at Big Moose Inn on August 7, 2020, and who has symptoms of COVID-19 should call their health care provider before seeking medical care. COVID-19 symptoms include cough, fever, shortness of breath, fatigue, or body aches among many others. A comprehensive list of symptoms can be found here.

As part of its investigation, Maine CDC is communicating with Big Moose Inn about the nature of the event and adherence to State requirements.

Those who attend social gatherings should follow physical distancing guidelines including wearing cloth face coverings when not eating and maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet between individuals and 6 feet between household groups as much as possible.

The number of individuals who can gather in a shared space must not exceed the limit established by the Governor's Executive Order, currently set at 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors and fewer if the space cannot accommodate 5 people per 1,000 feet.
Further breaking a gathering up into smaller groups is encouraged to reduce potential exposure.
If a space cannot accommodate the gathering limit without complying with the 6-foot distancing requirement, occupancy must be limited to allow for such compliance.
Face coverings should be worn in public settings when physical distancing is not possible.

For general information about COVID-19 in Maine, contact 211 Maine by calling 211, emailing info@211maine.org, or texting your ZIP code to 898-211. For questions specific to cases or potential cases, individuals may also call Maine CDC at 1-800-821-5821.

Maine CDC Director Shah will be available to address questions about this outbreak at tomorrow's 2 p.m. media briefing.