PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The Long Creek Youth Development Center is testing all staff and residents for the new coronavirus after a youth detainee tested positive for the virus.
The Maine Department of Corrections announced the decision to adopt universal testing on Sunday after learning of the positive test result. The youth was tested Friday before being released; test results became available Saturday, officials said.
The minor was asymptomatic while at the detention center and is now self-quarantining, officials said.
In addition to campus-wide testing, the South Portland detention center is stepping up precautions to prevent the spread of the virus, including medical monitoring and use of personal protective equipment.
For most people, the new 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.
