Following the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Maine by the state CDC on Thursday, two additional patients presenting to MaineHealth have preliminary test results that are presumptively positive for the virus according to a press release issued by Caroline Cornish of MaineHealth moments ago.

With NorDx Laboratories, a MaineHealth subsidiary, beginning testing on Wednesday and expanding the scope and speed of testing results in Maine.  It was expected that the number of presumptive positive coronavirus cases would grow.  Because this is a new virus with new testing methods, which may run the risk of falsely positive results, MaineHealth is working very closely with the Maine and federal CDCs to confirm these preliminary results.

Within MaineHealth as of Thursday at midnight, two presumptive positive cases have presented.  One was screened at an out-patient testing clinic in Portland and is in self-isolation at home.  The second individual is being treated in isolation at Maine Medical Center.

In adherence with CDC guidelines, the patient at Maine Medical Center is in isolation and care team members are taking appropriate steps to ensure the health and safety of themselves and those around them.

Maine Medical Center, as with other local MaineHealth hospital organizations, is well prepared to treat patients with coronavirus.  At each facility, Hospital Incident Command Systems have been activated and care teams that have trained and planned for this possibility are staying up to date with the latest guidance from the CDC.

“While it is understandably unsettling to members of the community that this outbreak has come to Maine, we are prepared for this across our system,” said Dora Mills, MD, Maine Health Chief health improvement officer.

Dr. Mills emphasized that patients who believe they may have symptoms of COVID-19 ae encouraged to call their health care provider before going to their doctor’s office, a clinic or the emergency room, where they could spread the virus to others.

Most cases of COVID-19 infection bring flu-like symptoms that are mild to moderate and can be treated at home, Dr. Mills said, stressing that patients should only be treated at a hospital in the small minority of cases where symptoms are severe.

“We should take the threat of COVID-19 seriously, but there is no need to panic.  As with seasonal flu, there are common-sense steps each of us can take to slow the spread of infection and reduce our chances of getting sick” said Dr. Mills.

To help slow the spread of infection, the CDC recommends community members continue to practice good hand hygiene, stay home when they’re sick ad cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue and discard it\ according to the press release from Caroline Cornish at MaineHealth.