Maine CDC in need of more coronavirus tests

AUGUSTA (WGME) -- The Maine CDC says it needs more coronavirus tests.

The test kits are made Abbott Laboratories, which has a location in Scarborough.

The new rapid COVID-19 tests give results within a few minutes as opposed to waiting for days. The Maine CDC received 15 testing machines on Wednesday, however, they were also expecting 100 testing kits they needed for Maine hospitals.

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That amount of kits would provide 2,400 rapid tests to patients.

The director of the Maine CDC showed disappointment at Wednesday’s daily press briefing, saying this was well below the amount of testing material they expected.

On the other hand; Martin’s Point Health Care received 1,000 rapid COVID-19 tests from Abbott Labs earlier this week.

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Those will be distributed to their health care centers in Portland and Brunswick.

For now, those tests will only be available to Martin’s Point patients.

The Maine CDC says it’s going back to the drawing board to come up with other testing ideas.