[16], On March 15, 2020, Governor Janet Mills declared a civil state of emergency which allows the governor to establish emergency reserves of products, allows the state to access federal funding to combat the outbreak, and allows for suspension of certain laws. The CDC also has noted that treatment of the delta variant does not differ from other strains of the virus, nor do isolation or quarantine protocols. As county transmission levels are expected to change daily, the city of Portland is asking the public to remain aware of the current recommendations by visiting the CDCs website, reading and watching the news, following the requirements of private establishments and when in doubt, wearing a mask. What's really concerning about these data are that the hospitalization rates are also going up, Lemieux said. [78] As of March 25, 2020 four cases of coronavirus were confirmed among the campus community. The test positivity rate is Due to live soccer on CBS Wednesday afternoon, the Maine CDC briefing will be shown on the CW at 2 p.m. Actual case numbers are probably higher. [111], Northern Maine Community College (NMCC) discontinued face-to-face classroom instruction on March 18, 2020, and also canceled their spring 2020 commencement ceremony. COVID-19 cases on the rise in nearly 2 dozen states. COVID With masks, tests, vaccines and widely-available treatments, she believes Massachusetts has the tools needed to address rising cases. But when Gabriela Andujar Vazquez, an infectious disease physician and associate hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center, looked at the same numbers, she was not surprised. [51][18], On April 28, Gov. Breakthrough COVID-19 cases are rising in Maine, but theyre still As the COVID-19 virus explodes across the country, Maine this week recorded a significant increase in cases, hospitalizations, and positivity rates. Mills and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew announced that approximately $11 million would support child care access for essential workers and offer relief for child care providers. [101] On March 16, 2020, EMCC dining halls were closed for in-person dining, the number of students allowed to be in common areas such as the library and student center was limited, student housing was closed, and the decision was made to move courses online. All rights reserved. [76] Summer cruises for the TS State of Maine and the Bowdoin ships were postponed, and students registered to complete a cruise in the summer will have to seek alternative opportunities. [69] The University of Maine system announced that all courses would be administered via remote learning starting March 25, 2020, with the Law School resuming classes on March 23, 2020. Shots are still going into arms with more than 3,000 doses administered between Monday and Tuesday of this week, according to Maine CDC data. The patterns observed in communities with current spikes in infections and hospitalizations suggest that they are driven not only by those still unvaccinated, but also the decline of vaccine efficacy over time. Universities, including MIT, have also strongly recommended masking. However, many experts say warmer weather in the weeks ahead will likely help tamp down cases. Covid On April 7, Governor Mills issued an executive order that expanded healthcare access to Maine residents. [96] The Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts postponed all summer 2020 residency programs and will offer online instruction during the summer. Shah said whipsawing between recommendations where masking is recommended in a county on Monday, not on Tuesday but recommended again on Wednesday can undermine confidence in public health. As the COVID-19 virus explodes across the country, Maine this week recorded a significant increase in cases, hospitalizations, and positivity rates. There are pros and cons and no final decisions have been made on that.. "If we do not control this outbreak, we may never get this evil genie back in the bottle," she said. This declaration allows for state agencies and municipalities in Maine to be reimbursed for 75% of approved costs related to pandemic response.[41][42]. Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Director Nirav Shah noted those numbers might increase on Wednesday, saying that certain situations where more Experts say a confluence of factors is likely driving the country's recent increases in infections, including the more than 100 million Americans who remain completely unvaccinated, cold weather and relaxed restrictions, the highly transmissible delta variant, and waning vaccine immunity. Mills announces approval of COVID-19 federal disaster declaration", "Governor Mills Announces Approval of Federal Disaster Declaration For COVID-19 Response in Maine | Office of Governor Janet T. Mills", "Gov. Thank you! Although cases fell precipitously between mid-January and mid-March, there has been a slow, persistent increase since then. As a result, COVID-19 case data will be updated weekly on Tuesdays. Even if the majority of COVID patients are not in the hospital because of COVID, it can be disruptive to hospital operations, cautions Bill Hanage, a Harvard epidemiologist. A week aago, Aroostook was the only Maine county not considered to be at low risk. The Rising Nepal; Sun, 23 April 2023; Glimpses of a changing Earth, as seen from above. [97], On March 12, 2020, Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) chose to extend its Spring Break and on March 17, 2020, the decision was made to move all courses to an online format, close residence halls, and cancel all gatherings of more than ten people. For weeks throughout the early fall, the U.S. had seen steady declines in coronavirus infections and hospitalizations, offering hope that perhaps the pandemic was finally subsiding in the U.S. after a significant summer surge across the South and a renewed push for vaccinations. Last week, Massachusetts and Connecticut added each other to their state's coronavirus travel advisory, asking travelers in either direction to quarantine or test negative. The state had been slated to reopen bars Monday, but that has been postponed to a yet-to-be-determined date, said Mills, a Democrat. Experts say the key to getting through the winter will ultimately be to get more Americans fully vaccinated and boosted when eligible. [85] As of March 25, 2020 there were two confirmed COVID-19 cases in Bates College faculty members. Experts estimate that the majority of cases in Massachusetts now are caused by a subvariant of omicron known as BA2.12.1. As the daily case count rises, more Maine counties have You can share 5 more gift articles this month. The Associated Press contributed to this report. New coronavirus variant Arcturus, or XBB.1.16, is spreading: What "It's likely it's a holiday effect," said Horsburgh, noting that the surge followed several major religious holidays and spring breaks for schools and colleges. But there is also the factor of waning immunity for those who are fully inoculated, something that other countries have seen as well. "We're taking patients across state lines routinely. COVID-19 cases top over 200,000 in Maine after vital records review, NASA confirms first radar-observed meteor fall seen in Maine, Masks to no longer be required at MaineHealth facilities. Published: Feb. 16, 2022 at 5:47 AM PST AUGUSTA, Maine (WABI) - 3,556 new COVID-19 cases are being reported making the new state total 202,221. Across the U.S., coronavirus case numbers have been rising due to the spread of the delta variant, mostly among the unvaccinated. COVID cases Longtime Kennebec County register of probate to retire in June. "The patients we're seeing are primarily unvaccinated and the vast majority of patients in the ICU, and on ventilators are unvaccinated, and that continues to be the challenge. Mills's administration began a new volunteer phone support service for health care workers and first responders called the FrontLine WarmLine. That's a lot of warm water for hurricane delta. Maine (WABI) - 748 new cases of COVID being reported by the Maine CDC. "Whether that's an intrinsic property of the virus or the level of vaccination-induced immunity or previous infection-induced immunity is not clear.. [65], On November 10, 2021, The Maine Department of Health and Human Services announced it would be receiving 6.5 million in funding from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases program to combat COVID-19. On Saturday, 100 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, one fewer than on Friday. [68] Half of the federal aid money received will go directly to supporting students. Mills, traffic on state roads had declined by double digits. Dr. Rivers is paying attention to another new subvariant, XBB.1.9.1, which makes up about 8 percent of U.S. infections right now. The newly released data also shows nine more Mainers died with the virus. The new XBB.1.16 Omicron subvariant is rising in the U.S. and may cause unusual symptoms like pink eye, especially in children. Mills announced that she would create an Economic Recovery Committee to develop recommendations to help address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Maine's economy. Success. Health experts also say that it will also be critical for people to get the flu vaccine, in addition to their COVID-19 shots, as both vaccines only protect against their respective diseases. Free Covid-19 testing in shown in downtown Denver, Nov. 4, 2021. "We won't have transmission when people are outdoors. [121] On average, 20 passengers had been using the one remaining round trip to Boston. Experts say several factors is likely driving the U.S.'s recent COVID uptick. [24], On March 19, 2020, Governor Mills wrote a letter to Vice President Mike Pence and the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar to request for more personal protective equipment be released to the state of Maine from the Strategic National Stockpile. [28][29], On March 20, 2020, Governor Mills opened waters to inland fishing and suspended license requirements until April 30 to encourage individuals to go outside during the pandemic. [84], Students of Bates College were asked to leave campus on March 14, 2020, and the college transitioned to remote work models on March 17, 2020. But hospitals are dealing with a Vaccinations have dropped off in recent weeks but the state continues to have one of the best vaccination rates in the country, with 69 percent of the vaccination-eligible population of those 12 and over fully inoculated and 60 percent of the entire population. "Lowering temperatures, increased population mixing, reduced masking, fully open schools and the more contagious delta variant all contribute to the increases in cases and hospitalizations in many parts of the country. On March 12, Maine announced the state's first confirmed case of the coronavirus, a Navy reservist in her 50s from Androscoggin County who had returned from duty in Italy. Shah has stated he believes that 60-80 percent of new cases in Maine are resulting from the delta variant, which is consistent with findings in other northeastern states. County where individuals with a positive case reside. Maine While hospital officials do not report their facilities areoverwhelmed by COVID patients, hospitalizations are on the rise.

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