News

Maine hospital warns that COVID-19 may be circulating undetected in tourist hot spot

Maine hospital warns that COVID-19 may be circulating undetected in tourist hot spot

Photo: clipart.com


BAR HARBOR (WGME)— Multiple out-of-state Acadia visitors are reported to have been seeking advice after learning that the COVID-19 tests they took back home had come back positive.

Bar Harbor’s Mount Desert Island Hospital has encouraged these people to come forward.

The Portland Press Herald reports the development appears to stem from long delays in processing tests in much of the country.

“Without quicker testing, these sorts of problems are likely to become more widespread,” said Jeremy Youde, who studies the intersection of government and public health at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

“That’s quite a dilemma,” said Dr. Peter Millard, an epidemiologist who is now medical director at Seaport Community Health Care in Belfast. “When somebody has a positive test in, say, Georgia, there is no way that the people in Georgia would know that person went to Maine, so it’s not like they can forward it to officials here.”

Latest Headlines

20 hours ago in Local

Parents Speak Out Against Trans Student on Basketball Team.

During a meeting of the St George Select board on Tuesday, the parents of a town on the mid-coast spoke out against a transgender student on the basketball team.

21 hours ago in Local

Maine’s Amy Allen Earns Another Grammy Nomination for Songwriting

Maine’s Amy Allen is nominated for Songwriter of the Year at the Grammys—again! She won the award earlier this year and could take home another trophy in February.

22 hours ago in Local

Sebago Woman Scammed by Contractor Gets Surprise Help from Local Businesses

After being scammed out of $5,000 for a driveway, a Sebago woman got an incredible surprise: local businesses stepped in to finish the job for free.

22 hours ago in Local

Hundreds of Workers Temporarily Laid Off as Woodland Pulp Shuts Down

Hundreds of workers are facing temporary layoffs at Woodland Pulp in Baileyville. The mill has shut down until mid-December, citing market challenges. Maine officials are stepping in to help affected employees.

2 days ago in Local

Portland police say parents won’t press charges after student grabbed while walking to school

No charges are expected after an eighth-grade student at King Middle School in Portland was grabbed by the wrist by an unknown person while walking to school on Thursday.