3rd positive virus test in Maine, where schools closing

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - The third person to test presumptively positive for the new coronavirus in Maine is a woman in her 40s from Cumberland County who was in close household contact of another person who received a positive test, Maine health officials said Saturday.

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said its “immediate concern is for the care and treatment of the individuals who have presumptively tested positive,” the agency said in a statement. Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah is scheduled to hold a media briefing on the subject on Monday morning.

The number of people testing positive in Maine for the coronavirus grew from one to two Friday, the state Center for Disease Control and Prevention said. The agency said a man in his 50s was screened at a MaineHealth outpatient clinic in Portland and is in self-isolation at home in Cumberland County. The first positive case the day before involved a woman in her 50s in Androscoggin County.

The state is also the site of three cases it considers preliminary presumptive positive, the Maine CDC said. The agency said its reviewing all three of those cases and will release details of them when they become available. One of those three cases was made public on Friday.

Other developments in Maine about the virus:

MORE SCHOOL CLOSURES

School districts in Maine have announced closures in response to the spread of the coronavirus, and some are preparing for shutdowns that could last weeks.

Some schools, including Wells-Ogunquit Community School District, have announced schools will close through at least March 22. At least one school, the private John Bapst Memorial High School in Bangor, has announced it’s suspending all on-campus classes through at least April 27.

Others have announced closures that will last at least two weeks, and some have suspended school Monday as they develop plans for the coming weeks.

Brunswick schools Superintendent Paul Perzanoski sent a letter to parents and students Friday that said the district is “working furiously to develop alternatives and plan for the unknown.” The district has canceled school for students Monday.

Districts in the state have also said they are preparing students for the possibility of completing the academic year’s lessons at home.

Fryeburg Academy, a boarding school that is one of the oldest private schools in the country, said it would suspend in-person classes beginning Tuesday through March 31.

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SURGERIES POSTPONED

Central Maine Healthcare, a major provider of health services in the state, announced Saturday that it is postponing some elective surgeries and limiting access to its buildings.

The system said in a statement some elective surgeries including overnight stays will be put off “until the hazard has been reduced.” That change will go into effect on Monday.

The changes in security at hospitals will prohibit most visitors and reduce entry points, the system said.

Chief medical officer John Alexander said that the system’s hospitals are contending with “the very real challenge of screening for COVID-19, while caring for our many patients,” and that restricted access to the buildings will lower risk of transmission.

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NO WATER SHUT-OFFS

A water utility, Maine Water, said in a statement that it has suspended shut-offs for non-payments until further notice. The utility said it is keeping the water running because of the importance of hand-washing and hygiene.

Maine Water president Rick Knowlton said in a statement that the utility has plans in place to assure that it can “deliver uninterrupted service to customers and communities while protecting the health and safety of our employees.”

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ABOUT THE VIRUS

For most people, the coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, results in only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.

The vast majority of people recover. People with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover, according to the World Health Organization.

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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.