Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah provides an update on COVID-19.
Sixteen health care workers in Maine have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, health officials said Thursday, as the number of cases in the state surpassed 150.
Nirav Shah, the director of the Maine Centers for Disease Control, said the facilities where the 16 health care workers are employed had been notified and were taking measures to keep other employees and patients safe.
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In a press conference, Shah reported 13 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the state's total to 155.
Of those cases, 51% were female and 49% were male. The ages of the cases ranged from under 10 to over 90 years old, Shah said.
The new numbers came a day after the Maine Department of Health and Human Services closed its office in Lewiston after a worker tested positive for the new coronavirus.
Shah said Thursday the health department had contacted a "small number" of people who had been in close contact with the worker and instructed them to self-quarantine. The building was being cleaned in accordance with federal guidelines and was expected to open soon, he said.
