Click here for the latest coronavirus news, which the BDN has made free for the public. You can support our critical reporting on the coronavirus by purchasing a digital subscription or donating directly to the newsroom.

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s headquarters reopened Monday after a coronavirus exposure briefly shuttered the headquarters of the agency responsible for leading the state response to the pandemic.





The Maine CDC building was closed over the weekend for cleaning and disinfecting after officials learned that an outside vendor with the virus had entered the building.

[Our COVID-19 tracker contains the most recent information on Maine cases by county]

The building closure didn’t affect coronavirus testing or distribution of personal protective equipment, which takes place in other facilities, a spokesperson said. Epidemiological investigation of confirmed cases continued through the closure.

The vendor was in the offices on Tuesday. A spokesperson said one CDC worker who came into contact with the vendor is taking precautions.

CDC workers were notified Saturday that the building was being closed for cleaning, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services said. The cleaning was completed by Sunday evening, officials said.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.