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 fourteen (14) outbreaks of influenza as of Tuesday, January 29, 2019.
Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) confirmed a hepatitis A case in a person who is experiencing homelessness in Portland, Maine. The case stayed overnight at Oxford Street Shelter and Florence House, and spent time during the day at Preble Street Resource Center during their infectious period, which was October 1st though October 21st.
Influenza has officially arrived in Maine. Multiple Maine hospitals reported influenza positive lab results in the last few weeks, including two PCR confirmed cases, one with foreign travel and one with no travel history. Both samples tested positive for influenza A; Maine's Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory (HETL) confirmed one sample as influenza A/pH1N1. Maine CDC is also following up on an outbreak of influenza among travelers returning from a trip overseas. There is documented spread in Maine as contacts of the travelers also tested positive for influenza.
From January 1 through October 23, 2018, federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received 155 reports of suspected cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in persons from 22 U.S. states; 62 met the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) case definition for a confirmed case of AFM. Among the 62 confirmed cases reported through October 23, 2018, the median age was 4.1 years (range: 0.7 - 32.7 years) and 53% of the cases were male.
Maine has not identified any AFM cases to date in 2018, but had one case each in 2014, 2015, and 2016.
Maine is currently experiencing elevated rates of pertussis in York and Waldo counties, an increase in the number of infant cases and a change in age distribution of disease.
In 2017, the number of infectious syphilis cases increased 77% and the number of gonorrhea cases increased 30% in Maine. Through the end of June 2018, Maine saw case counts of gonorrhea that are twice the five-year median and case counts of syphilis that are three times the five-year median.
If a disposal system design does not meet the minimum requirements of the Subsurface Wastewater Disposal Rules, it may be possible to obtain a variance to the Rules. There are two types of system variances: First Time System and Replacement System. There are also two levels of approval: Local and State.
All systems must meet the same basic site suitability, permitting, and inspection criteria as any other onsite sewage disposal system. A permit is required for installation of a subsurface wastewater disposal system or components thereof. A permit is valid for work commenced within 24 months after the permit is issued. (See: 30-A M.R.S. § 4215).
Please note: The Maine Drinking Water Program/Subsurface Wastewater Unit does not license Local Plumbing Inspectors (LPIs), nor do we appoint LPIs to municipal posts. For information on LPI licensing, contact the Maine State Fire Marshal's Office.
