CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine — In a press conference Monday, Cape Elizabeth school officials updated the public on the presumptive positive coronavirus case announced at Cape Elizabeth Middle School.
It is a 12-year-old boy and while officials are not releasing his name, they do say he is making good progress in his recovery at home.
All Cape Elizabeth Schools are now closed and the Maine CDC has notified all parents of children who are believed to have potentially come into close contact with the infected child.
Middle school nurse Jill Young said she was in touch with the CDC on Sunday helping them to identify those students and staff who had close contact with the student. Those families were notified by the CDC and according to guidelines will have to self- quarantine for 14 days.
As for all of the other students and staff in the school, Young said everyone should assume that they were potentially exposed, but said according to CDC guidelines, there is no need to self-quarantine.
The reason is community transmission, meaning there are already several cases of COVID-19 in Cumberland County in which a patient can't be traced back to someone who gave it to them.
But with that said, students and staff that didn't have direct contact with the student are being asked to practice social distancing.
Cape Elizabeth Middle School Principal Troy Eastman added that the focus has gone from academics to overall well-being of students, staff, and the community.
Like many school districts in the state, Cape Elizabeth is working on plans to move to remote learning.
The Maine CDC said there are now 17 combined positive or presumptive positive cases of coronavirus in Maine:
- 1 in Androscoggin County
- 2 in Lincoln County
- 1 in Knox County
- 13 in Cumberland County
The five new confirmed or presumptive positive cases announced Monday are:
- Female in her 60s in Cumberland County
- Female in her 80s in Cumberland County
- Male in his 30s in Knox County
- Male in his 70s in Cumberland County
- Male in his 40s in Lincoln County
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These cases are now added to the following confirmed positive or presumptive positive tests in the state:
- Female in her 50s in Androscoggin County
- Male in his 50s in Cumberland County
- Woman in her 40s in Cumberland County
- Male in his 60s in Cumberland County
- Woman in her 20s in Cumberland County
- Male in his 20s in Cumberland County
- Male in his 80s in Cumberland County
- Female in her 70s in Cumberland County
- Male in his 70s in Cumberland County
- Female in her 30s in Lincoln County
- Male in his 40s in Cumberland County
- Teen boy in Cumberland County