• Read more about Maine CDC Encourages Providers to Obtain Vaccine and Vaccinate At-Risk Populations for Hepatitis A

In 2019, Maine saw a nearly five-fold increase in hepatitis A cases over the five-year average number of cases, increasing from 9 in 2018 to 45 in 2019. A quarter of the cases in 2019 had risk factors such as injection drug use or homelessness.

Maine CDC recommends that healthcare providers and facilities that provide services to at-risk populations obtain hepatitis A vaccine and offer vaccination to their clients to prevent further spread of hepatitis A.

• Read more about Update and Interim Guidance on Outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (federal CDC) continues to closely monitor an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that was initially detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in December 2019. This federal CDC Health Alert Network (HAN) Update provides a situational update and interim guidance to state and local health departments that supersedes guidance in federal CDC's HAN 426 distributed on January 17, 2020.

• Read more about Increase in Suspected Unintentional Overdoses in Cumberland County

On Saturday, February 1st, the Northern New England Poison Control Center notified Maine CDC of ten individuals who potentially overdosed unintentionally over the weekend. All ten individuals received emergency assistance in Cumberland County. Cases were reported from multiple facilities.

• Read more about Updated Definition for Patients Under Investigation (PUI) for 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

Imported cases of 2019-nCoV infection in people have been detected in the U.S. While person-to-person spread among close contacts has been detected with this virus, this virus is NOT currently spreading in the community in the United States. At this time, Maine does not have any confirmed cases and has no patients under investigation (PUI).

U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC) updated the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) definition for patients under investigation (PUI) on Friday, January 31, 2020.

• Read more about Update and Guidance on Outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to closely monitor an outbreak of a 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China that began in December 2019. CDC has established an Incident Management System to coordinate a domestic and international public health response.Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some cause illness in people; numerous other coronaviruses circulate among animals, including camels, cats, and bats.

• Read more about Lead Poisonings Requiring Medical Chelation Treatment

Between July and December 2019, four children ages 12 to 24 months were identified with blood lead levels ranging from 45 to 57 mcg/dL. Blood lead levels of 45 mcg/dL or higher are typically treated with medical chelation therapy to reduce blood lead levels. These are the first chelation cases identified in Maine since 2016. The children resided in Androscoggin, Cumberland, and York counties.

• Read more about Widespread Influenza Activity in Maine

Influenza activity in Maine is now widespread with providers reporting laboratory-confirmed influenza in all sixteen counties. Maine's Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory (HETL) confirmed influenza A/pH1N1, influenza A/H3, influenza B/Victoria, and influenza B/Yamagata are all circulating in Maine. Maine CDC has followed up on nine (9) outbreaks of influenza as of Tuesday, January 7, 2020.

• Read more about Vaping-associated Pulmonary Illness - Reporting Now Required

The purpose of this health advisory is to inform clinicians that, effective immediately, and pursuant to 22 M.R.S. 802(1)(B), pulmonary disease associated with e-cigarette use is now temporarily added to the list of Notifiable Conditions that are required to be reported to Maine CDC.

• Read more about Influenza Arrives in Maine

Influenza has officially arrived in Maine. Multiple Maine facilities reported influenza positive lab results in the last week, including a PCR confirmed case, which tested positive for influenza A and was typed at Maine's Health and Environmental Testing Lab (HETL) as influenza A/H3. This individual is an adult who was not hospitalized, was unvaccinated, and had recent travel history.

• Read more about Start of Influenza Season Conference Call Agenda

The agenda for the upcoming "Start of Influenza Season" conference call.