24 people contract COVID-19 following wedding in Maine

Maine health officials have linked more than 50 coronavirus cases to a wedding reception about 70 miles north of Bangor.

The Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last week a total of 24 people had contracted COVID-19 linked to the wedding.  Eighteen people tested positive after attending the Aug. 7 event, which took place at Millinocket’s Big Moose Inn Cabins and Campground. Six more tested positive after close contact with attendees, according to a statement from the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The number of cases connected to the wedding rose, with state health officials on Saturday confirming they could trace 53 confirmed coronavirus cases to the reception, The Portland Press Herald reported Saturday. 

Those affected range in age from 4 to 98 years old, according to the newspaper. Health authorities said one woman who did not attend the reception died on Friday after contracting COVID-19 from a person who did attend the event, but they did not identify her nor the guest she came into contact with, the newspaper reported. 

State officials said in the statement last week that the reception was attended by about 65 people, and that everyone infected thus far is a resident of the state. They plan to implement contact tracing for guests, campground staff and anyone “who potentially came in close contact with confirmed cases during and after the event,” according to the release.

Officials are also assessing whether the venue was in compliance with state health guidelines, saying they are “communicating with Big Moose Inn about the nature of the event and adherence to State requirements.”

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.

“Anyone who attended an event at Big Moose Inn on August 7, 2020, and who has symptoms of COVID-19 should call their health care provider before seeking medical care,” state officials added.

State records indicate Maine has a total of 4,356 cases of the virus and 131 deaths as of Sunday.

This story was updated at 3:57 p.m.