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CDC investigating outbreak at Cumberland County Jail, sheriff says follow-up tests were negative

Two inmates recently tested positive for COVID-19, but retests were negative. The first inmate to test positive is no longer at the jail.

PORTLAND, Maine — The head of Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced a new outbreak at the Cumberland County Jail Tuesday, but jail officials tell NEWS CENTER Maine two of the three positive tests are now negative. 

"It's like building a plane while you're trying to fly it," Sheriff Kevin Joyce said about the current situation. "Everything is always changing."

Joyce confirmed that two inmates recently tested positive for the virus. They were then tested again, and those results both came back negative, according to Joyce. 

RELATED: Real-time Maine coronavirus updates: Wednesday, July 15

The first inmate who tested positive in June has since been released from the jail.

An outbreak by the CDC is defined as three or more positive cases that are 'epidemiologically linked.' 

"So there was a thought that it's not an outbreak because one wasn't related to the other," Joyce said. "It was a shock to them. It was a shock to us."

A spokesperson for the Maine CDC told NEWS CENTER Maine the investigation is still required. 

"A follow-up negative test result does not overturn an initial positive result," Robert Long said in a statement. "If an individual has a positive result, that individual will be counted as a case regardless of subsequent test results."

RELATED: Coronavirus under control in 8 weeks if everyone wears masks, CDC director says

Long said the investigation allows the state to support to the jail to 'mitigate risk' of exposing or transmitting the virus to others tied to the facility. 

Right now, Sheriff Joyce is working with a privately contracted health provider.

Joyce said they have been working for weeks to test nearly 500 inmates and staff members since the first positive case, but it has been a very slow process.

"Every day here is challenging for the staff," he said. "We've been very aggressive."

That testing will continue until everyone in the facility is tested. Joyce said officials are also working to conduct contact tracing to ensure no other individuals were exposed. 

RELATED: York County Jail inmate tests postive for COVID-19

"I just wanted to get back to a time where the Cumberland County Jail is COVID free," Joyce said. 

The jail also just received a rapid testing machine by Abbott Labs from the state they hope to soon use to test every inmate brought into the jail.

Both inmates that recently tested positive but then negative will be tested again this week. 

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