MAINE, USA — KEY MAINE CORONAVIRUS FACTS
- As of Thursday, 133 Mainers have died out of 4,617 total COVID-19 cases. 4,145 of these cases are confirmed by test and 472 are probable.
- 424 Mainers have been hospitalized, 3,988 Mainers have recovered.
- Stage 3 began on July 1; here are the Stage 3 reopening checklists for businesses
- VERIFY: Requirement to wear a face mask does not violate constitutional rights
- Maine is open for business, here's what you need to know
- Read about all the important coronavirus-related orders currently in place in Maine
- Going out? CDC shares tips to stay safe amid coronavirus pandemic
- Gov. Mills' administration releases guidance for town meetings and elections during COVID-19 pandemic
- Filing for unemployment still dominating discussions around Maine. Here's our story on how to file for Maine unemployment. You can scroll down for more resources available to Mainers
- If you are a business owner, please register your business. If you want to support a local business, enter your zip code and find out what’s OPEN NEAR YOU.
- Subscribe to 'break time with NEWS CENTER Maine' our new newsletter. Delivered to your email inbox for your break time.
Thursday, September 3
- UMaine System reports 5 additional COVID-19 cases
- York County launches 'comprehensive inquiry' into COVID-19 jail outbreak
- Maine CDC outbreaks update: 144 COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths linked to Millinocket wedding
- Total cases: 4,617
- Confirmed cases: 4,145
- Probable cases: 472
- Deaths: 133
- Total Hospitalizations: 424
- Recoveries: 3,988
- Case rate per 10,000 people: 34.5
Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah said Thursday that the death announced Wednesday (a man in his 70s from Somerset County) is linked to the Millinocket outbreak. Dr. Shah said two people linked to the Millinocket outbreak have now died.
Of the 53 additional COVID-19 cases reported by Maine CDC Thursday:
- 18 are from York County
- Seven are from Penobscot County
- Ten are from Cumberland County
- Five are from Androscoggin County
"York County in particular remains a focus and an area of concern for all of us at Maine CDC," Dr. Shah said. "Just in the past two days there have been at least twenty-nine confirmed cases of COVID-19 in York County alone. At least sixteen of those cases have been associated with known outbreaks and the other thirteen at this time are thought to be related to community transmission."
Dr. Shah said the uptick in cases in York County is not a phenomenon limited to long-term care facilities or even to congregate care settings. Dr. Shah said the positivity rate in York County is three times higher than the statewide positivity rate.
Dr. Shah said the rate of new cases in York County over the past fourteen days is 7.5 cases per every 10,000 people. Dr. Shah said the statewide average of new cases over the past two weeks is 2.75 for every 10,000 people.
Maine CDC has taken a closer look at the onset date of illness for the recent cases in York County. Dr. Shah said those numbers tell them that transmission is occurring with an increasing frequency in York County.
"About half of the outbreaks that Maine CDC is involved with are in York County," Dr. Shah said.
Dr. Shah delivered a Labor Day message to conclude his Thursday briefing, encouraging all people to enjoy the holiday while still taking proper COVID-19 precautions.
"The honest truth is I’m concerned. I’m concerned because Maine has done so well. And I’m concerned that if current trends continue, we might lose our grip on COVID-19," Dr. Shah said. "So I’m asking you as you go into this celebratory weekend, the end of summer, the end of this cruel summer: please do your part to help us keep a grip on COVID-19."
Outbreak Updates
As of Thursday, Maine CDC reported 144 total cases linked to the Millinocket wedding. Included in the 144 are the cases at the York County Jail and the Maplecrest Rehabilitation Center.
York County Jail
As of Thursday, the Maine CDC says there are now 72 total cases of COVID-19 at the York County Jail: 46 are among inmates, 19 among staff, and 7 other cases have been linked through secondary transmission (close contacts of staff members who have tested positive).
Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah said a staff member of the York County Jail attended the wedding and reception in Millinocket. According to Dr. Shah, that staff member was one of the first confirmed cases at the jail.
Calvary Baptist Church
At the Calvary Baptist Church in Sanford—the latest outbreak that is possibly linked to the wedding—there are ten total cases; five new cases were identified in Thursday's update.
Pastor Todd Bell is the pastor at the church and he officiated the wedding. The Maine CDC says at this time, the church outbreak investigation has not been epidemiologically linked to any other outbreak investigations.
“We’re still investigating if there are any linkages among them. We have some hypotheses but as with any scientific endeavor, we’ve got to have more than just reports and unconfirmed notions," Dr. Shah said Tuesday. "We’ve got to make sure we’re getting it from primary, verified sources. So until we’ve secured that and validated it I don’t want to comment. But we do have some hypotheses that we’re looking into that would connect them.”
Despite the outbreak, the church held normal services on Sunday.
At the service on Sunday, Pastor Bell referenced the wedding in Millinocket.
"I went to the wedding. I officiated the wedding. It was a beautiful wedding," Pastor Bell said to his congregation. "Six families from our church went there. We never expected to get COVID. Nobody expected to experience the things that happened because you went to a beautiful thing like that."
Maplecrest Rehabilitation and Living Center
There are now 16 cases at the Maplecrest Rehabilitation and Living Center in Madison - eight among residents and eight among staff. The Maine CDC previously linked this outbreak to the wedding outbreak. Investigations are underway to determine if the additional cases associated with those outbreaks are also linked to the wedding and reception outbreak.
Wednesday, September 2
Total cases: 4,567
Confirmed cases: 4,100
Probable cases: 467
Hospitalizations: 423
Recoveries: 3,978
Case rate per 10,000 people: 34.1
Deaths: 133
According to Maine CDC, the additional death announced Wednesday was a man in his 70s from Somerset County.
Updates on outbreaks in Millinocket, Madison, and York County
Maine CDC says 143 COVID-19 cases are now linked to a wedding in Millinocket on August 7. Here are the latest numbers of the outbreaks linked to the wedding, which are included in the 143 cases:
- 56 cases are among guests who attended the wedding, as well as their secondary and tertiary contacts
- 13 cases are among residents and staff at the Maplecrest Rehabilitation Center in Madison. This outbreak occurred because a staff member at Maplecrest was a secondary contact of someone who attended the wedding in Millinocket
- 74 cases are associated with the York County Jail complex: 38 are among inmates, 19 among staff, and 17 other cases have been linked through secondary transmission (close contact with confirmed cases).
Maine CDC's investigation into the Millinocket outbreak and subsequent outbreaks in Madison and York County is ongoing.
Updates on other outbreaks in York County
There remain five COVID-19 cases associated with the Calvary Baptist Church in Sanford.
Pastor Todd Bell is the pastor at the church and he officiated the wedding. The Maine CDC has not officially linked the two outbreaks but says its investigation is underway.
“We’re still investigating if there are any linkages among them. We have some hypotheses but as with any scientific endeavor, we’ve got to have more than just reports and unconfirmed notions," Dr. Shah said Tuesday. "We’ve got to make sure we’re getting it from primary, verified sources. So until we’ve secured that and validated it I don’t want to comment. But we do have some hypotheses that we’re looking into that would connect them.”
There also remain four cases associated with the Sanford Fire Department and other fire departments in and around York County.
College outbreak updates
Maine CDC has opened epidemiological investigations at two college campuses: The University of New England and Maine Maritime Academy. Each school is reporting three confirmed cases.
Both investigations have been opened within the last 24 hours.
- Fall semester begins for Bangor public schools staff, students
- Outbreak updates: 66 cases at York County Jail, no new primary cases associated with Millinocket wedding
- Maine restaurants plan ahead for cooler weather under coronavirus restrictions
- Mainers staying safe while saying 'I do' during the coronavirus pandemic
MONDAY UPDATES THE DATA
RESOURCES
- Maine food resources and retail adjustments
- How to file for Maine unemployment
- Beginning of plan to reopen Maine schools
- Will you get a stimulus check if you receive Social Security or disability, or didn’t file a tax return?
- Stimulus check calculator: See how much you'll likely be getting
- Millions of Americans will soon get stimulus checks. But here's who won't.
- Maine small businesses can apply for 'forgivable loans'
Coronavirus, COVID-19 Background
The official name for the coronavirus is “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease it causes is named “coronavirus disease 2019” or “COVID-19” for short. Coronavirus is a family of viruses, which can infect people and animals. The viruses can cause the common cold or more serious diseases like SARS, MERS, and COVID-19.
The CDC says symptoms of the coronavirus include fever, cough, difficulty breathing, and in some cases sore throat.
The CDC says there are simple steps to take to reduce the possible spread of COVID-19:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- Stay home while you're sick and avoid close contact with others
The Maine Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is holding coronavirus briefings on Tuesdays and Thursdays with director Dr. Nirav Shah to keep the public up to date on the situation in Maine
NEWS CENTER Maine YouTube COVID-19 Playlist