WATERVILLE — The superintendent of a private school who previously referred to COVID-19 restrictions as “twisted and sick” has tested positive for the virus as infections remain high across Maine.

Kevin Wood, superintendent at Temple Academy, is recovering at home with his wife, who also contracted the virus, the Morning Sentinel reported.

Denise Lafountain, the head of school, returned to work Monday after having the virus herself, the newspaper reported.

Lafountain has described on social media her struggles and said her son also was sick.

She said the school is following guidelines set by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The private Christian school enrolls about 200 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Phone and email messages left for Kevin Wood at the school were not immediately returned. He was critical of restrictions aimed at protecting people from the coronavirus, which has killed more than 1,000 in Maine.

"When you comply, you teach your children this is ok. It is not. It’s not ok. Keeping kids from school, gymnastics, karate, dance, athletics … for what? To protect a few elderly adults … with a minuscule chance they die? Really?” he posted last year on Facebook.

He said people who support the guidelines set by public health experts are the same as those who “would push a child in front of harm’s way to save themselves. Twisted and sick!”

Phone and email messages left for Kevin Wood at the school were not immediately returned.

In other coronavirus-related news:

HEALTH CENTER FUNDING

The federal government said Tuesday it has awarded more than $11 million to 18 health centers in Maine to expand primary care in underserved communities during the coronavirus pandemic.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said the health centers can use the money to acquire freezers to store COVID-19 vaccines, buy mobile vans to better distribute vaccines, and construct, renovate or expand facilities so they’re in a better position for future pandemics.

They money is part of nearly $1 billion the agency is awarding around the country.