© 2024 Maine Public | Registered 501(c)(3) EIN: 22-3171529
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Scroll down to see all available streams.

New England Cancer Specialist Employee Tests Positive For COVID-19

New England Cancer Specialists announced that it is closing its Kennebunk office for two weeks after an employee tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

Spokesperson Victoria Foley says, in consultation with the Maine CDC, NECS is advising all 237 patients who were in the Kennebunk office last week to stay home and monitor for any symptoms. She says 23 of the 43 staff members in Kennebunk are now in quarantine and monitoring for symptoms. Foley also says the CDC recommended completely cleaning and disinfecting the office.

“Last night we had a cleaning crew in there to do what's called ‘terminal clean’ which is sort of like a soup to nuts cleaning, if you will. They take everything apart. they disinfect every surface with hospital grade disinfectant and the office will sit empty for two weeks.”

Foley says Kennebunk patients with in-person treatment appointments will instead be seen at the NECS office in Scarborough. NECS will also utilize telemedicine for appointments like follow-up visits.

Ed is a Maine native who spent his early childhood in Livermore Falls before moving to Farmington. He graduated from Mount Blue High School in 1970 before going to the University of Maine at Orono where he received his BA in speech in 1974 with a broadcast concentration. It was during that time that he first became involved with public broadcasting. He served as an intern for what was then called MPBN TV and also did volunteer work for MPBN Radio.