Together for Maine Daily Briefing and COVID-19 Data Update: 11/18/20

University of Maine System COVID Data by Campus 

 

43  — Known Case of UMS students or employees in public health agency Isolation among the more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff in the University of Maine System community.

  • 31 UMaine:  
    • One employee has completed isolation 
    • Two new cases involving commuter students
  • 1 UMA: 
  • 0 UMF:
  • 0 UMFK: 
  • 1 UMM:  
  • 1 UMPI: one new case involving a student living in a residence hall.  See UMPI News
  • 9 USM: One non-resident student has completed isolation
  • 0 Maine Law

 

5 of the 43 cases are residence hall students:  Of the 43 cases reported above there are five (5) active known cases among residence hall students in the UMS.  

  • 2 UMaine
  • 1 UMPI
  • 2 USM

 

Isolation and Quarantine Capacity Remains Very Strong:  96% of UMS quarantine space and 98% of UMS isolation space is available.  

The above Data reflects ACTIVE known cases identified through the UMS asymptomatic screening and other testing venues.  When an individual is released from an isolation order by a public health agency the active case number shared in the Together for Maine daily update is reduced to reflect that change.  UMS is reporting 43 known cases today, one case more than the cases reported in the 11/17/20 update.

 

Asymptomatic Screening Update for Fall Safe Return

  • 31,870 Test Results to Date
  • 51 positives results representing new diagnoses of COVID-19

The Asymptomatic Screening Dashboard at Together.Maine.edu represents known results on all asymptomatic tests going back to July 22, 2020.  About 48 hours passes from the time a test sample is collected and when the results are known.  

 

UMS News

 

Quick Facts About Final Week of Fall Safe Return

 

 

  • One Week of In-Person Classes:  Wednesday, March 18 marks the start of the last week of in-person classes for the Fall 2020 semester.  The University of Maine System transitions to remote instruction at the Thanksgiving break.  In-person instruction resumes January 25, 2021 for the spring semester. 

 

 

  • Wastewater Tests Negative for COVID Virus:  Wastewater samples collected at UMaine, UMFK, and USM – Gorham on 11/9 – 11/10 were negative for the virus that causes COVID.  

 

  • Safe Departure Testing Underway:  The University of Maine System is now conducting its final round of statewide asymptomatic testing for the fall semester.  Approximately 8,000 tests will be conducted to help send resident hall and out-of-state students home safely with a negative test in hand and to monitor for the disease.

 

University News

 

UMaine:  Men’s Ice Hockey Alters Opening Weekend, Link to Press Release

 

UMA  

UMF

UMFK

 

UMM:  DHHS Partners with University of Maine System to Expand Public COVID-19 Testing in Washington County.  Link to Press Release.

 

UMPI — 11/18/20 Message from President Ray Rice:

 

Dear UMPI Community,

 

We learned this morning that a case of COVID-19 has been identified within our campus community. Contingency plans were immediately set in motion and Maine Center for Disease Control protocols are in place. The residence hall student tested positive for COVID-19 as part of UMPI’s asymptomatic testing program. We are able to report that the individual is in good health and has been moved into isolation. The student’s roommate and others who have been identified through contact tracing have been placed into quarantine. 

At this point, all “close contacts” have been notified. For an asymptomatic patient, this would be defined by the CDC as any individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 2 days before a positive test specimen collection. If you have not been contacted, it means you have not been identified as a close contact. Please note that a daily update regarding asymptomatic on-campus tests is available through the University of Maine System dashboard

Though we were hoping to get through the last few days on campus together without a positive case, we are heartened to know that our testing and health and safety protocols are continuing to work so efficiently and as intended, and we’d like to thank our team for the very quick response regarding this case. Our work now is to support affected individuals through the two-week quarantine and isolation period, which will extend over the Thanksgiving holiday. While it is imperative that we follow CDC protocols, we understand that this is not how any one of us would want to spend their holiday, and will be working with Student Affairs to help these individuals through this time.

We will provide any needed updates as we move forward. And we appreciate the work all members of our campus community are continuing to do to keep each other safe these last few days before we move to remote learning. Please remember to wear a mask, socially distance, wash your hands, and if you are sick please stay home (see CDC guidance on coronavirus symptoms). If you have questions or would like someone from campus to call you, please let us know here.

 

Stay safe,

 

Ray

 

USM

Maine Law