18 MaineHealth patients tested positive for the delta . variable

Newly released data from MaineHealth shows an increase in cases of the most contagious COVID-19 delta variant. According to Dr. Dora Ann Mills, the health system’s chief health improvement officer, since July 1, 18 of the 49 sample patients have tested positive for the delta variant in MaineHealth’s NorDx lab. “Delta’s performance was completely predictable,” Mills said in a Facebook post on Sunday. Mills noted that the results are preliminary and await validation with the genetic sequence from the Maine CDC. “As delta variables spread around the world like invasive plants, suffocating other variables and finding non-pollinated material as fertile soil, we in Maine and New England are luckier than ever living in one of the safest places on the planet,” added Mills. Last month, the agency said it had found four such cases in Maine. Robert Long, a spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Maine, said the agency’s latest report may not be representative of the delta variable case number. “It is important to note that sequencing the variant genome is not a diagnostic test in the same way as a PCR test for COVID-19. This is a longer process with less urgency than a diagnostic test. Time required to perform diagnostic PCR.” The tests have not changed, which is a better indicator of the risk of transmission,” he said. Long said in a statement that the state laboratory continued to provide results within 24 to 48 hours of receiving samples for COVID-19 PCR testing. vaccination remains the best way to protect Miners. The Maine CDC expects to see a greater impact of the delta variant in the state in the coming weeks. While the high vaccination rate in Maine limits the route of transmission, the delta variant is opportunistic. people in Maine to protect themselves from the delta variant and other forms of COVID-19, our partners tell us In Maine hospitals, the vast majority of patients requiring treatment for severe COVID-19 symptoms have not been fully vaccinated,” the Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah said in a statement.

Portland, Maine-

Newly released data from MaineHealth shows an increase in cases of the most contagious COVID-19 delta variant.

According to Dr. Dora Ann Mills, the health system’s chief health improvement officer, since July 1, 18 of the 49 sample patients have tested positive for the delta variant in MaineHealth’s NorDx lab.

“Delta’s performance was completely predictable,” Mills said in a Facebook post on Sunday.

Mills noted that the results are preliminary and await validation with the genetic sequence from the Maine CDC.

“As delta variables spread around the world like invasive plants, suffocating other variables and finding non-pollinated material as fertile soil, we in Maine and New England are luckier than ever living in one of the safest places on the planet,” added Mills.

Last month, the agency said it had found four such cases in Maine.

Robert Long, a spokesman for the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the agency’s latest report may be under-representing the delta variable case count.

“It is important to note that sequencing of genomic variants is not a diagnostic test in the same way that PCR testing is performed for COVID-19. This is a longer process with less urgency than a diagnostic test. Time required to perform diagnostics. The PCR test did not change, which is a better indicator of the risk of transmission. In a statement, Long said the state laboratory continued to provide results within 24 to 48 hours of receiving samples for COVID-19 PCR testing.

State health officials say vaccination is still the best way to protect Mainers.

The Maine CDC expects to see a greater impact of the delta variant in the state in the coming weeks. While the high vaccination rate in Maine limits the route of transmission, the delta variant is opportunistic. Vaccination remains the best way for people in Maine to protect themselves from the delta variant and other forms of COVID-19, as our partners in Maine hospitals tell us that the vast majority of patients requiring treatment for severe COVID-19 symptoms have not fully vaccinated,” said the director of the CDC On Diseases in Maine, Nirav Shah, in a statement.

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