Despite having obvious signs of illness, the Maplecrest employee went to work that day, and the next. Officials from the MeCDC and the Maine Department of Corrections visited the York jail and discovered that, despite the size of the outbreak, the facility had not implemented daily symptom screening for staff members or enforced regular use of masks.. And, he adds, simply keeping the number of people at an event under 50 does not mean COVID-19 will not be present or spread; this can only be done by people actively taking personal precautions such as wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing. Further, Brown wanted to remind people that the post-wedding dinner was just one of three events that day, and that the attendees of the wedding and the dinner made the personal decision to not keep their masks on or to practice social distancing. That, Mills said, is exactly the problem with such an event. Now schools are delaying in-person learning because of the wedding-related coronavirus outbreak, which has been linked to 85 cases. Success, he says, would look like saving any life that we can. Jen Towers anxiety about the coronavirus had started to ebb, but then word started to trickle out in the area about the wedding outbreak. But they came here to eat! Three days after the wedding, a guest who worked at an area school system went to an in-person school meeting even though that guest had started to cough; two school staff members subsequently tested positive within days, forcing all the areas schools to delay their reopening by two weeks. By clicking submit you are agreeing to our cookie usage and Privacy Policy, This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. The big thing we noticed was that everybody was close together and there were no masks, Zaker said. Millinocket-area students were supposed to go back to school in early September. Dr. Nirav D. Shah, head of the Maine Center for Disease. None of them had attended the wedding reception. Karen Kaplan is science and medicine editor at the Los Angeles Times. Her head spun when she heard about the wedding and the infections that followed. All of our cabins include the amenities of home, and couples can work with our event coordinator to ensure the organization of lodging assignments. Authorities have said more than 65 people attended the wedding. Rich Zaker, who said he was staying at the inn Aug. 7, was alarmed at the sight of the wedding party. Millinocket wedding guests could cause 'secondary waves' of COVID-19, state says. At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18; more than a dozen missing, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son, Trump met with early primary state GOP leaders, A Maine college's plan to maintain low infection rate, How a Maine college plans to maintain low infection rates, Flu and COVID combo shots won't be ready this year, FDA official says, White House pushing Congress to pass funding to combat pandemic-related fraud, FBI chief says agency feels pandemic likely started with Chinese lab leak. At the service on Sunday, Pastor Bell referenced the wedding in Millinocket. "We are asking everybody that they can do their part. Included in the 147 are the cases at the York County Jail and the Maplecrest Rehabilitation Center. The Associated Press contributed to this report. "Right now it's under evaluation. Easy. Only one of the victims has been identified: Theresa Dentremont, 88, who died on Aug. 21. On Monday, an additional 11 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were identified at Maplecrest, bringing the total to. Presidents gain too much power when emergencies like covid hit, The Checkup With Dr. Wen: Three important studies shed light on long covid, We are not overcounting covid deaths in the United States, China, speeding through phases of covid, gets on with living with virus, FDA advisers favor retiring original covid shot and using newer version. Can you have Thanksgiving during the COVID-19 pandemic? She detailed the safety measures the inn had taken and why the staff was confused by some of the state guidelines, adding, We have given the Maine CDC our word, and we are giving our community and guests that same word that we will doand are doingbetter. The inns lawyer, Paul Brown, said that prior to the wedding, the inn worked closely with the mother of the bride, designing a seating arrangement that would both please the wedding party and comply with state mandates. One of the wedding guests came down with a cough, sore throat, runny nose, muscle aches and a loss of his sense of taste. Millinocket itself is just about smack in between the two, but a good 10 minutes or so away from each. But one of those guests arrived with a coronavirus infection. To the Maine health officials who wrote the report, the lessons are clear: Wear a mask. The Maplecrest worker was tested for a coronavirus infection. In the summer and fall we can host up to 250 guests in an outdoor tent. "These religious activities are also fully protected under the First Amendment to our United States Constitution.". Whos liable? According to Dr. Shah, that staff member was one of the first confirmed cases at the jail. 30 Twin Pines Road Millinocket, ME, 04462. Meanwhile, a school staffer who had been in contact with the moonlighting musician was diagnosed with COVID-19. "We know we cant let down our guard now," shesaid. You open up glitter in Millinocket, and next thing you know you are finding traces of it at a jail complex in York County, Shah said in late August. For much of the drive, theres nothing but trees. Photos of the event show them lined up with five groomsmen and four bridesmaids. The community had fared better than many parts of the country as the pandemic raged, with Town Manager John Davis saying there were no cases in town before this. The closest confirmed infections were a town away. This story was updated since its Aug. 30 publication to include additional deaths and cases that health officials linked to the wedding. They clustered together in the restaurant of the Big Moose Inn and spilled into the small lobby, their numbers exceeding the states 50-person cap for indoor events during the coronavirus pandemic, state health officials would later declare. Contact shorey@neoc.com to book your wedding with us. Please do not leave this page until complete. As you take in the details of the outbreak, imagine swapping Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas party for wedding reception and see whether it changes your thinking about your own holiday plans. Pastor Todd Bell officiated an August 7 wedding in Millinocket, Maine, that sparked a coronavirus outbreak across several surrounding communities . They no longer play bingo or attend local dance events. Its something to keep in mind when you hear health officials urge members of the public to put their holiday traditions on hold this year. The statement said the church is taking precautions to limit the spread of the virus, and it will defend its right to continue holding services. The Big Moose Inn, Cabins & Campground was cited by the Maine CDC last week for exceeding the indoor gathering limit of 50 people there were 65 wedding guests and for not ensuring six-feet social distancing or gathering contact information from those in attendance, as required. Weddings happen on the point and guests enjoy a reception outdoors overlooking the lake and the mountain. Millinocket's best FREE dating site! What we don't want to have happen is that those concerning signs take over the positive. By early September, officials with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention had linked at least 147 cases to the wedding including outbreaks at a jail and a nursing home in York County, more than 200 miles away. Cases have been identified in . Everyone is maskless and grinning, except for a man off to one side: He appears to be the only person of color in the photo, and hes dressed in a black button-down and pants, with a light blue surgical mask over his face. The bulk of these cases 76% involved people ages 30 to 59. Maine. I officiated the wedding. "Even if those communities are miles apart, separated by multiple counties in between, what weve learned about COVID-19is that it can be the uninvited guest at every single wedding, party or event in Maine. That has proved true in Millinocket, a close-knit town of about 4,500 once known for its thriving paper mill. Included in the 147 are the cases at the York County Jail and the Maplecrest Rehabilitation Center. Nonetheless, this person attended an in-person meeting at a school in East Millinocket. All of our cabins arefull service complete with linens and towels so your guests can have the comforts of ahotel in the unique setting of a romantic country cabin. On the one-year anniversary of pandemic lockdown, ELLE journeys to the center of the drama. While we were talking, a car pulled in carrying a young woman, who was wearing a white face mask and a hooded sweatshirt that said, Oh deer, Im pregnant! with little deer antlers attached to the hood. By winter, the Millinocket wedding had basically become shorthand for a coronavirus superspreader event. Stories about COVID-19 that ran in local papers were sometimes accompanied by a photo of Big Moose, for no other reason than that everyone associated the one with the other. The rapid spread across hundreds of miles spurred a call Tuesday from Gov. It wasnt until the next day that one of them reported having symptoms of covid-19. MILLINOCKET, Maine Of the 32 positive COVID-19 cases associated with a wedding reception in Millinocket, one has died, Millinocket Regional Hospital announced Friday. It comes after El Salvador rounded up more than 64,000 alleged gang members in the country's crackdown on . By the 20th, 30 people who had attended, worked, or otherwise been present at the wedding venue were positive for the virusroughly half the attendees. Very easy. Shah said the outbreak Maines first linked to a social gathering has raised thorny questions about enforcement as much of the nation returns to some level of activity. Even if we dont recover damages, if we can save one life by getting businesses to enforce precautions. Were really just trying to send a message to folks.. Given the length of time between events, he could not have quarantined when he returned, and its not known whether he took a test (Bell has stopped speaking to the media), but his later behavior suggests its unlikely. Please contact us when you are ready to further explore at 207-723-5438 or800-766-7238. Whos accountable? In light of the situation in York County and Sanford, please do not go to work if you are not feeling well," Shah said. In order to use this feature, we need some information from you. The agency has identified two additional outbreaks resulting from a crowded wedding reception in Millinocket, and is now investigating a . But it wasnt us, it was the wedding party. Shah said the state's percent positivity rate has ticked up to 0.63% for the previous seven days. Create a new password. 0. . "Six families from our church went there. Afree guide to job and career opportunities in Maines essential industries. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Fred. It was already shut down for the season, but there was a groundskeeper cleaning up leaves with a leaf blower. moments. And for goodness sake, dont go to work when you are sick. And you know why? The reception would be held about 16 miles away in Millinocket, a town in Penobscot County with about 4,500 residents. Most everybody here thinks that. In June, she posted pictures from the bridal shower in East Millinocket, noting that she and the bride, #BestFriends22YearsAndCounting, were celebrating in the same little town where their mothers had had a joint baby shower for them some 22 years earlier. Pronunciation of Millinocket with 1 audio pronunciations. In a new report, investigators from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention explain how a well-meaning celebration with family and friends wound up causing so much suffering and death throughout the state in such a short period of time. And the risk is higher when people gather indoors, they added something that is likely to occur over the winter holidays. 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One person, one contact, can light a match, can spark a fire, that we may be unable to put out and it may cause our health care system to be overwhelmed it may cause people to lose their life.". All summer, there had been a collective unease among localsnot knowing whether to be more afraid that people would come, or that they wouldnt. Super-spreading wedding party demonstrates COVID-19 risk posed by holiday gatherings. Todd Bell, meanwhile, appeared to continue to hold in-person services at Calvary Baptist, his home church in Sanford, despite the fact that cases were continuing to climb. She has been dropping off food, she said, and Ive prayed more., Its the kind of thing that can tear these communities apart, said Dora Anne Mills, chief health improvement officer at the states largest health-care system, MaineHealth, and former director of the Maine CDC. 2020 The Associated Press. It was positive. One person who tested positive and is linked to the outbreak had been hospitalized as of Wednesday afternoon, Peterson said. Under the sky or under a tent, this reception is yours. But within a week, it was clear that there had been an uninvited guest at the wedding. Todd Bell was the officiant, and he arrived on August 6 as well, flying up from Sanford, in southern Maine, in one of the private planes he had acquired in partnership with the church for his Wings With the Word aviation ministry. Now everybodys at risk.. The number of confirmed infections tied to the wedding reception rose to 30. We offer outdoor and tent options and we can cater to largegroups inside. Nine cases linked to the wedding were tracked to the Maple Crest Rehabilitation facility, while 18 more cases were identified as having found a way inside the York County Jail complex via a. READ MORE ON THE Millinocket wedding OUTBREAK, Wednesday afternoons Bangor Raceway starters, Democrats nominate Joe Biden for epic challenge to oust Trump, Millinocket wedding guests could cause secondary waves of COVID-19, state says, More than 2 dozen COVID-19 cases traced to Millinocket wedding reception, Residents in one western Maine town look to curb Poland Springs appetite for water, Theres no feeling like it: Last-second layup gives Brewer boys basketball its 1st state championship, Couples recreation business cultivates 'slice of heaven' in Maine highlands, Fine-dining restaurant in northern Maine adds bed and breakfast, 2 teenagers charged after a man in Calais was shot on a walking trail, Maine photographer snaps shots of bobcat thats blind in one eye, Nor'easter could dump a foot of snow on parts of Maine Saturday, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. An employee of the York County Jail attended the wedding, Maine CDC officials have said. "However, this one incident also overshadows the incredible work being done by thousands of restaurants and hotels across the state in keeping Maines infection numbers low even while our peak summer season remains in full swing.". Attempts to interview the pastor, the couple and their families were unsuccessful. State health officials said they were still trying to answer basic questions about what happened at the Aug. 7 wedding that they said 65 people attended. Part of it happened in East Millinocket, a blink-and-youll-miss-it town of around 1,700 that calls itself The Town That Paper Made, and part of it happened at the now equally infamous Big Moose Inn Cabins & Campground, more than 20 minutes away, on the shores of Lake Millinocket and Ambajejus Lake, at the edge of the Katahdin wilderness. Please contact us when you are ready to further explore at 207-723-5438 or 800-766-7238. Over the next 38 days, the virus spread to 176 other people. Please check your entries and try again. (Video: The Washington Post, Photo: Brian Monroe/The Washington Post). / AP. By Martin Finucane Globe Staff, Updated September 10, 2020, 8:12 p.m. All of them were at least 60 years old and had at least one preexisting medical condition. Even as he comes face to face with the consequences, the younger Dentremont said he is not angry with those who went forward with the wedding. Newsom announces new stay-at-home order as COVID-19 hospitalizations hit record, Maplecrest Rehabilitation and Living Center, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, New forecasts show why masks are the easiest and cheapest way to save U.S. lives, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, Is your loved one on a business trip? They also hadnt kept a list of everyone in attendance at the wedding; the inns lawyer told me that they hadnt realized they needed to as long as they had contact information for the organizer. At the time, Millinocket had not reported a single case of COVID-19. 2077235438. Over time, health officials determined that the guests who were infected at the reception spread the virus to another 17 people, who in turn spread it to 10 more people. Overall, 90% of those connected to the wedding reception outbreak developed COVID-19 symptoms. Knowing that this was in the middle of a pandemic, I wish it wouldve been scaled down.. Maine CDC reports 23 new cases of coronavirus, no deaths. Big Moose is the first business in the state to be cited for not complying with state public health orders related to the pandemic. The Inn and the mother of the bride had a good working relationship right up until the outbreak, so it was assumed that the family would be forthcoming with this information if needed, Brown said in an email. Neither Bell nor Gibbs responded to a request Tuesday for comment. Practice social distancing. She said she knows three families that have at least one infection. Ultimately, 40 people were infected there: 15 staff members and 25 residents. its services to essential medical care only through Aug. 30 as individuals with positive COVID-19 tests are still being identified and cases continue to rise. A couple traveled from California to Maine to get married at a church in East Millinocket. Its not easy for a moose to wear a mask, just as it hasnt been easy for many Maine people to adapt to life with COVID-19 in our state. None of the seven people who have died attended the wedding, CBS affiliate WABI reported. Very difficult. .css-5rg4gn{display:block;font-family:NeueHaasUnica,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-5rg4gn:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:-0.02em;margin:0.75rem 0 0;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:0.02rem;margin:0.9375rem 0 0;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.4;margin:0.9375rem 0 0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 73.75rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.4;}}Why Everyone Is Carrying a Novelty Bag, Jonathan Anderson Celebrates 10 Years at Loewe, Elizabeth Chambers Is Not Who She Married. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. But Mills and Shah emphasized Tuesday that one incident can have wide-ranging effects. This person worked more than 200 miles away at the York County Jail. But we do have some hypotheses that were looking into that would connect them., After church services this morning, I tried to get Pastor Todd Bell's attention regarding the recent outbreak of COVID-19 affiliated at Calvary Baptist Church in Sanford. Those affected range in age from 4 to 98 years . Only 55 people attended the Aug. 7 reception at the Big Moose Inn in Millinocket. If nearly all Americans would wear face masks when they leave their homes, they could save over 100,000 lives by the end of February, a study says. Davis, the town manager, said that he didnt want to criticize anybody, that he thinks people are now taking more precautions and that it happened, and were going to get through it. Huston said she is more concerned for the health of this town than I am for the blame., Dentremont Jr. is mourning his stepmother, a vivacious woman and wonderful mom who loved quilting and gave handmade tree skirts and coverlets as Christmas gifts. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Calls, calling me a murderer. A person who was associated with a wedding in Millinocket that was at the center of a coronavirus outbreak has died, officials at Millinocket Regional Hospital announced Friday.The person was . millinocket wedding couple identified. The wedding outbreak is especially resonant in Americas rural communities, where gatherings are a lifeline and where, some public health experts fear, the lack of significant virus transmission may have lulled residents into a false sense of complacency. Helen Lynch was 86 and living with Alzheimers. The brides parents joined his church at the beginning, back when meetings were held in the NAPA Auto Parts store. Maine has reported less than 5,000 cases of the virus in total since March. Inside, the bride smiled in a lace-covered V-neck dress. The virus outbreak has caused the Millinocket town office, the Millinocket School Department and Millinocket District Court to shut down, and Millinocket Regional Hospital has postponed a number of appointments and elective procedures. The phenomenon occurs when one infection spawns a disproportionate number of others. It isalso a celebration, a party, a reunion, and the beginning of a new life. (Linda Coan O'Kresik/Bangor Daily News/AP) Article This story was updated since. This can take a few Up until that point, Maine had weathered the pandemic remarkably well, with among the lowest COVID-19 transmission rates in the country. Fewer health-care resources mean that if an outbreak strikes, it can be especially devastating. "We should be going about our days as if the virus is everywhere around us," Shah said. He also said it hasn't yet been determined how much information the venue provided those attending aside from postingsigns. There are 21 cabins of various sizesoverlooking a beautiful mountain lake. A wedding echoes a couples spirit and tells their story to family and friends. I wouldnt have had a wedding at this time, but they crucified the lady who owns the Big Moose Inn, and I just feel so bad, because its so hard for businesses right now. Now our name is tied to it forever, because we were straightforward and open and cooperated from the beginning., At the beginning of the season, the woman says, everybody was worried. In the kind of town where everyone knows everyone and many families go back generations, the viruss sudden hold has disrupted the usual sense of security and has made neighbors fearful of one another. On Tuesday, the day after state health officials confirmed a coronavirus outbreak of at least two dozen cases connected to an Aug. 7 wedding reception in Millinocket, some residents of the Katahdin region were shocked that their area had been hit by such a large virus outbreak while others believed it was simply a matter of time before the virus hit. The couple held their wedding reception in an event room at the Big Moose Inn. But the growing number of cases related to the wedding, which exceeded the state's guidelines of 50 people or less at indoor gatherings, could undo some of that progress if it continues to swell. Mills and Shah stressed that it's still important for people to wear masks, practice social distancing and stay home when they can, particularly if they don't feel well. Now, Millinockets town hall is closed to the public, and its police department is responding to non-emergency calls by phone only. Start meeting singles in Millinocket today with our free online personals and free Millinocket chat! The Maine CDC press release says, "Maine . Stay safe and informed with our free Coronavirus Updates newsletter. After the wedding ceremony, a party of 55 headed to dinner at the Big Moose Inn. All Rights Reserved. Forgot your Like a biotech conference in Boston, a college bar in Michigan and a choir practice in Washington state, the wedding became whats known as a superspreading event probably sparked by a single, highly infectious individual who showed no signs of illness and unwittingly shared an enclosed space with many others. "The Calvary Baptist Church has a legal right to meet. Shah said that the investigation shows so far that that mask wearing was not commonplace or widespread at the wedding. An employee of the York County Jail attended the wedding, Maine CDC officials have said. A staff member of the York County Jail, more than 200 miles away, also attended, and now 18 cases at the jail and the York County complexare associated with the wedding. Stories that explain the news through charts, maps, photography and videos. The setting was rustic, romantic: a lakefront inn in rural Maine at the height of summer. https://t.co/868o4gYTFU via @bangordailynews @Eeshapendharkar. Maine authorities have identified overlaps between the wedding reception and outbreaks elsewhere in the state. AUGUSTA, Maine The Maine CDC is continuing its outbreak investigations, including those that are linked to the Aug 7. wedding and reception in Millinocket. Cormier declined an interview request, as she has done with all media since the wedding, but she did release a lengthy statement in late August: Our hearts go out to the family, those affected by the virus who were at the wedding, and those who have been impacted since then. The virus is where we are, then it comes home with us.". Share your favorite tips, tricks and hacks. We were just bombarded, on all of our social media, she told me. I had no idea that there was a wedding going on, and it was surprising to find out that there were 60-plus people, she said. The ceremony was held at the Tri Town Baptist Church, which the brides parents had helped found over two decades earlier. The findings appear in Fridays edition of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Millinocket area responds after local outbreak spreads statewide. Even one is too bad, Cram said outside the Dunkin store in Millinocket. The first person to test positive for COVID-19 was a Maine resident and wedding guest who had a fever and cough the day after the event and tested positive on the 13th, six days after the ceremony, according to the CDC report. That had held true even through Julys tourist season, to the states great relief. The state's health department said it has identified 18 people who tested positive for the virus after attending the Aug. 7 event at Big Moose Inn Cabins and Campground in Millinocket, about 70 . The church was originally started by a pastor named Todd Bell, whod arrived in the mill town in 1996, having been called to spread the gospel to the northern reaches. August 18, 2020 August 26, 2020. The guest, who lived in Maine and became known as the index patient, was later tested for a coronavirus infection. He encouraged parishioners, and those watching at home via livestream, to come, too. 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What these outbreaks show whether its the wedding or Maplecreast or the York County Jail complex these recent examples demonstrate how aggressive and how opportunistic this virus is and how quickly it can move from one community to another," Shah said at Tuesday's biweekly briefing.
