According to CBS News, a wedding reception that took place over the summer in Maine has been linked to the deaths of seven people. These newest fatalities, which were caused by COVID-19, represent a morbid update as it was reported 10 days ago that the wedding had led to the deaths of three people.
A local CBS affiliate adds that all seven of those who have passed were not in attendance at the event.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention says the wedding, which went down in August, has also been fingered as the culprit behind 176 confirmed cases of the virus. That number was at 147 just 10 days ago.
This ceremony was in violation of state regulations that restrict indoor gatherings to 50 people max (there were about 65 guests). Feel free to note that it's not nearly the only event since the pandemic began to violate these types of orders (that's an understatement), and let it serve as another example of the risk of not heeding the warnings of public health officials.
State authorities have reportedly found overlaps that have connected the wedding to other outbreaks throughout Maine. Specifically, they say one of the people who attended the wedding is an employee at a local county jail. Another person who lives with someone who attended the ceremony works at a rehab center which is connected to six of the seven deaths.
This spread represents an anomaly in a state that has otherwise done a fair job at stemming the virus' spread. In total, Maine has reported less than 5,000 total cases since March.
This outbreak has led to local health experts warning the state's residents about the continuing threat.
"Maine CDC is concerned about where we are, and I'm asking everyone else to share in that concern. COVID-19, right now, is not on the other side of the fence. It is in our yards," said the director of Maine's CDC, Dr. Nirav Shah. "The gains that Maine has made against COVID-19 are ones that could, and unfortunately can, be washed away."
Shah added that the wedding is being investigated as the possible source of an outbreak at a local church (which has left 10 and counting sickened) on account of the fact that a pastor at that church officiated the event. That church also released a statement saying that "a number of" its members had also been in attendance.
