RUMFORD – Rumford Hospital is currently following stricter security measures and has temporarily suspended visitation “as the result of an ongoing threat to the hospital,” a Central Maine Healthcare spokesperson confirmed Friday.

A single individual has been making threatening phone calls to the hospital for several weeks and an “escalation of those threats” on Thursday prompted the hospital to temporarily raise its security protocols.

There is no concern or threat to the general public, Rumford Police Department Chief Tony Milligan said Friday. The department is aware of the threats and is in the process of bringing charges against the individual, he said. The individual is not a Rumford resident.

The hospital continues to be open and accepting patients. Everyone must be screened by security before they can enter the building.

“Visitation, outside of extraordinary circumstances, has been temporarily suspended at Rumford Hospital,” CMH spokesperson Jim Cyr said in a statement. “These steps are being taken out of an abundance of caution in order to make our patients and team members feel safe.”

Rumford Hospital is a 25-bed critical access hospital in Oxford County. It is part of the Central Maine Healthcare network.