• Read more about Monkeypox Updates: Testing at Commercial Laboratories, Vaccination

• Monkeypox testing is now available at several commercial laboratories. Providers should send specimens for monkeypox testing to commercial laboratories rather than Maine CDC's Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory (HETL). Requirements for specimen type may vary depending on the lab used.
• Jynneos, a vaccine to prevent monkeypox, is available in Maine. Supplies are prioritized for close contacts of confirmed monkeypox cases and for persons who might have had recent monkeypox exposures based on certain criteria.

• Read more about COVID-19 Treatment Updates: Training Videos for Prescribers, Clinical Considerations, Prescribing Paxlovid, and Using Bebtelovimab

COVID-19 remains a major health concern in Maine and across the United States. COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2020 and 2021. New variants continue to emerge, some with higher transmissibility and an ability to cause breakthrough infections in those who have been vaccinated and in those with prior COVID-19 infection. Vaccination remains the best protection against infection, hospitalization, and death.

• Read more about A DEP Air Quality Alert is in Effect for Sunday Along the Coast of Maine

Ground-level ozone concentrations will be climbing in Maine late Saturday evening, dropping off overnight then building up again on Sunday along the coast of Maine from Kittery through Acadia NP and are expected to reach unhealthy levels on Sunday according to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Ozone levels have been at or near unhealthy levels in southern New England for days. Winds Saturday evening will turn toward Maine in the Gulf of Maine continuing into Sunday.

• Read more about U.S. CDC: Recent Reports of Human Parechovirus (PeV) in the United States

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to inform clinicians and public health departments that parechovirus (PeV) is currently circulating in the United States. Since May 2022, CDC has received reports from healthcare providers in multiple states of PeV infections in neonates and young infants. Parechoviruses are a group of viruses known to cause a spectrum of disease in humans.

• Read more about Monkeypox Now a Reportable Condition in Maine

Reporting of notifiable diseases and conditions is required under 22 M.R.S., Chapter 250, §802 and §822. Failure to report could result in preventable morbidity or mortality. Maine CDC is authorized to advise through publicly noticed Health Alerts the public health need for the temporary reporting of any disease or condition in the state of Maine in order to study and control any apparent outbreak or unusual occurrence of communicable diseases.

This Health Alert serves as notice for a temporary change to the Notifiable Diseases and Conditions List:

• Read more about U.S. CDC: Updated Case-finding Guidance: Monkeypox Outbreak

Since May 2022, monkeypox cases, which have historically been rare in the United States, have been identified in 18 states and territories among both persons returning from international travel and their close contacts domestically. Globally, more than 1,600 cases have been reported from more than 30 countries; the case count continues to rise daily. In the United States, evidence of person-to-person disease transmission in multiple states and reports of clinical cases with some uncharacteristic features have raised concern that some cases are not being recognized and tested.

• Read more about COVID-19 Rebound After Paxlovid Treatment

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to update healthcare providers, public health departments, and the public on the potential for recurrence of COVID-19 or "COVID-19 rebound." Paxlovid continues to be recommended for early- stage treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 among persons at high risk for progression to severe disease. Paxlovid treatment helps prevent hospitalization and death due to COVID-19.

• Read more about Maine CDC and US CDC: Monkeypox Virus Infection in the United States and Other Non-endemic Countries

Monkeypox is a zoonotic viral infection endemic to several Central and West African countries. Prior to May 2022, cases outside of Africa were reported either among people with recent travel to Nigeria or contact with a person with a confirmed monkeypox virus infection. In May 2022, several patients were confirmed with monkeypox in England; at least six were among persons without a history of travel to Africa and the source of these infections is unknown.

• Read more about Updated Information on Availability and Use of Treatments for Outpatients with Mild to Moderate COVID-19 Who are at Increased Risk for Severe Outcomes of COVID-19

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to update healthcare providers, public health departments, and the public about the availability and use of recommended therapies for COVID-19 and to advise against using unproven treatments that have known or potential harms for outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

• Read more about 2022 Lyme and Other Tickborne Disease Information

Lyme disease is the most common vectorborne disease in Maine. May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Maine and we want to encourage Mainers to stay tick free by being "Tick Wise." Ticks are already active, and the Maine CDC expects the number of Lyme disease and other tickborne disease cases to increase as the weather continues to get warmer.