AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine’s COVID-19 cases have increased dramatically—250 more cases since Sunday. On Wednesday, there was a jump of 76 cases, the second-highest one day increase in Maine since the pandemic began. Governor Janet Mills and Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah said they’re very concerned about the rapid spike in cases.
“We see there have been significant and concerning trends," Dr. Shah said at a rare Wednesday CDC briefing.
Dr. Shah was unusually blunt in his comments on Wednesday, outlining the rapid increase in cases that have been seen in recent days and sounding the alarm for Maine people to take it seriously.
“Taking a step back, if you go to Sunday, there have been a total of 250 cases Sunday thru today…we have had new cases in 14 of 16 counties, indeed we have had cases in counties previously there were very few.”
He also said the number of people hospitalized has doubled in the past week, with 16 people currently hospitalized and seven in intensive care.
The spread of the disease is evident in Wiscasset, where the police station had to be closed to the public Monday after one of the town’s four full-time officers was diagnosed with the virus. Chief Larry Hesseltine said the officer spent last week at a training class in southern Maine and then worked Saturday and Sunday before symptoms began Sunday night. Hesseltine said the police station and the cruisers have been sanitized. He also said two other officers had contact with the officer who later tested positive, and that they are still at work following CDC guidelines.
“The guidelines are there’s no sense to get tested until five to seven days after the contact unless they have symptoms,” the Chief said.
Town Manager Dennis Simmons said no one in the town office had contact with the sick officer and that the office is considered safe. However, he said the case is a reminder of how easily the virus appears to be spreading.
"You see the case count rising every day. We had a restaurant in town have to close because of this, and now the officer.”
Simmons said the town has now canceled the traditional Halloween parade called Nightmare on Federal Street to reduce the risk of further spread of the virus.
Governor Janet Mills said the jump in cases is a warning that Mainers may be letting their guard down and urged people to be a lot more vigilant about precautions against spreading or contracting COVID-19.
“We know we in Maine are not immune from this virus,” the Governor said. “We know COVID thrives on the slightest hint of complacency on the part of our people. How do we control it? The answer is with every one of us.”
Mills said the same measures stressed earlier in the year need to be followed again: social distancing, the widespread wearing of masks, and frequent handwashing.
Dr. Shah warned that much of the current spread appears to be happening in small gatherings, such as dinners or other meetings of friends and family, especially now that the weather is discouraging many from socializing outdoors.