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Information for Health Care Providers
Maine CDC Health Advisory
February 28, 2020
Updated COVID-19 Patients Under Investigation (PUI) Criteria
U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC) updated the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) criteria for Patients Under Investigation (PUI) on Thursday, February 27, 2020. A person who meets the PUI criteria must wear a surgical mask as soon as they are identified and be evaluated in a private room with the door closed, ideally an airborne infection isolation room if available. Health care personnel entering the room should use standard precautions, contact precautions, airborne precautions, and use eye protection (e.g., goggles or a face shield). If providers suspect a patient meets the PUI criteria, they should immediately notify their healthcare facility's infection control personnel and Maine CDC at 1-800-821-5821.
Currently, testing for COVID-19 is not yet available in Maine. In the case of a PUI, specimens must be sent to HETL who will facilitate sending them to U.S. CDC for COVID-19 testing. There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Maine at this time; therefore, the risk of community spread remains low.
