WARREN — The Midcoast Athletics Center, a privately owned gym with indoor basketball courts, was notified this morning, Nov. 2,  of three additional cases of COVID-19 associated with the facility. 

The last attendance of any of the positive cases occurred on Wednesday, October 21, according to a news release from the Route 1 gym.

All direct contacts of the positive cases have already been contacted by the Maine CDC and have already been quarantined as directed. 

The original case (a player associated with the boys soccer team at Medomak Valley High School who also plays high school basketball at The MAC), as well as several other cases associated with that player, have already completed quarantine, the release said.

“Unfortunately, because we have surpassed three cases, the CDC will announce today during its 2 p.m. press conference with Dr. Nirav Shah that it is considering The MAC to have an outbreak,” the MAC said.

“We are working directly with the CDC and have been reassured that our protocols are appropriate and compliant with CDC mandates and guidelines for community sports,” the release said. “The CDC has been wonderfully supportive and has confirmed that, because we regularly deep clean the building, there is no current danger to any person who has visited the MAC since October 22, nor is there any indication that a shut-down of the facility is warranted.  The CDC made clear that The MAC has done nothing wrong and the investigator is in fact pleased with the procedures we have had in place for months.   The CDC also clarified that only direct contacts (those with 15 minutes of cumulative exposure to a COVID positive person) are required to quarantine.  Secondary contacts (persons who came into contact with someone else who came into contact with a COVID positive person) are NOT required to quarantine unless they too become symptomatic. 

“While it is discouraging to be named, and the word ‘outbreak’ is scary, we are confident that we have followed CDC directives.  The health and safety of our athletes has been, and will continue to be, our first priority.  It is important to understand that none of these cases are new and there is no active COVID circulating around The MAC.  As we have done for months, we will continue to require all athletes to have their temperatures checked prior to entering the building; every person who enters the building will be given hand sanitizer; all athletes will be required to have their own water bottles; the maximum capacity will not exceed 50 persons; and all spectators will be required to wear masks.  We wish our quarantined athletes a quick recovery and return to good health.”