AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine CDC said Monday the state now has 275 total cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus- that announcement made at a briefing Monday morning, also saying that 49 people have been hospitalized so far, while 41 have recovered.
That briefing also included a sobering reminder about the two additional deaths announced over the weekend, bringing the total number of Maine fatalities from the virus to three.
“The passing of these individuals is a reminder that every case of COVID-19 is a person,” CDC Director, Dr. Nirav Shah said.
But Dr. Shah also said there have been more than 6,000 negative tests so far.
Shah said is particularly concerned about new cases in congregate living facilities. There had been six previously diagnosed cases at a Falmouth senior living facility. On Monday, the CDC announced three new cases at a group home in Freeport, another at a group home in Leeds and two other cases at unidentified long term care facilities. He said recent studies show the virus can spread very rapidly in those settings.
“One of the things we know about congregate settings is the people there are at particular risk because of the design of the facility, and because many of those individuals are at higher risk because of age and health conditions.”
The CDC Director said there is still concern about supplies of personal protective equipment for health care workers, such as masks and gloves. A new shipment is coming from the federal stockpile of those items, but Dr. Shah said the CDC has been told it could be the last shipment for a long time, and that Maine will still not have enough of those PPE items for the long term.
As a result, he is now asking Maine manufacturers to start making some of those items here. He said the state Department of Economic and Community Development is working with manufacturers to try to arrange for that work to be done.
At NEWS CENTER Maine, we're focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the illness. To see our full coverage, visit our coronavirus section, here: /coronavirus