Maine's two largest health systems are seeing a surge of staff absences due to COVID-19.
MaineHealth says 842 employees were unable to come to work Wednesday.
That's about 4% of their workforce, which is roughly the same percent of Northern Light Health staff who had to stay home because they've tested positive for COVID-19 or are quarantining and waiting results.
Paul Bolin, senior vice president of Northern Light, says that amounts to 493 staff.
"That number is a significant increase. It's more than double what it was a month ago," Bolin says.
Bolin says most staff became infected through community exposure and unmasked gatherings.
