PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Maine’s top public health officials say the surge of coronavirus cases in the state has necessitated changes to contact tracing protocols.

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Executive Director Dr. Nirav Shah says the agency will no longer be able to keep in touch with individuals who test positive for the coronavirus over the course of their illness.

He says that change is a result of the aggressive spread of the virus in the state, which has experienced a fall surge similar to the one felt around the country.

Also Monday, the state reported that the total number of coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic has exceeded 10,500.