PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s largest hospital is putting in place new visitation restrictions in response to a surge in COVID-19 in the state.

The number of visitors and the length of visitation hours were being reduced effective Wednesday in most parts of Maine Medical Center. But visitation is not changing for the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, pediatrics or obstetrics, officials said.

“We understand that support from families is an important piece of healing for our patients,” said MMC President Jeff Sanders. “Our goal is to balance that need for family connection with the importance of reducing density in the hospital to keep all of our patients and care team members safe.”

The hospital continues to screen all health care providers, patients and visitors for COVID-19, to require universal masking and to encourage social distancing and hand-washing.