Overview
- The Maine CDC confirmed an adult in Lincoln County tested positive for Powassan virus, the third human case reported in the state this year.
- A wild bird in Cumberland County tested positive for West Nile virus, marking the first in-state West Nile detection this season.
- Powassan is a rare tick-borne virus that attacks the brain, can transmit faster than Lyme disease—reports say transmission can occur in as little as 15 minutes after a bite—and severe infections carry about a 10% mortality rate.
- Researchers at MaineHealth’s vector-borne disease lab in Scarborough are studying Powassan and how ticks survive Maine winters while state surveillance of tick- and mosquito-borne viruses continues.
- Maine saw a record seven Powassan cases in 2023 and has had multiple deaths in recent years, a pattern public health officials say raises concern for possible more frequent local detections and long-term health impacts for survivors.