Number of coronavirus cases linked to Maine wedding rises to 123

The number of coronavirus cases linked to an indoor wedding in Maine earlier this month has risen to 123, state health officials confirmed to CBS News.

The Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said early this month that a total of 24 people had contracted COVID-19 linked to the wedding. That number progressively increased to 53, then 87, and now 123 linked infections. 

The wedding has also been linked to one death last week from the virus so far. 

The Aug. 7 reception was attended by about 65 people, surpassing the state’s 50-person limit. Officials are also investigating if the venue, Millinocket’s Big Moose Inn Cabins and Campground, was in compliance with state health guidelines.

“If you fail to comply with the governor’s executive orders and the DECD checklist, then the department will immediately re-instate the temporary suspension of your license, which may lead to court action seeking a longer suspension or full revocation of your license, potential fines and payment of attorney fees incurred by the department,” the state’s Department of Health and Human Services told the inn in a written letter Friday obtained by the Bangor Daily News.

Laurie Cormier, the owner of the Big Moose Inn, released a statement Friday saying that she and the staff’s “hearts go out to the family, those affected by the virus who were at the wedding, and those who have been impacted since then,” according to WAGM.

Under executive orders imposed by Gov. Janet Mills (D) earlier this year, indoor gatherings are restricted to 50 people, while outdoor events are limited to 100 people or fewer in cases that cannot accommodate five people per 1,000 feet.

Cormier said the venue misinterpreted the state’s capacity guidelines. 

“We have taken the pandemic seriously, followed the rules as we have understood them, and gone above and beyond those rules to try and keep our guests, staff, and community safe,” Cormier said. “While we cannot be sure the virus was fully spread at our facility, we know that there are things that we can be doing better.”

As of Saturday the state has confirmed more than 4,000 cases and 132 deaths, according to the Maine CDC.