MAINE, USA — KEY MAINE CORONAVIRUS FACTS
- 27 Mainers have died out of 796 confirmed COVID-19 cases
- 130 Mainers have been hospitalized, 333 Mainers have recovered
- Governor Janet Mills orders National Guard and MEMA to help open alternative coronavirus care sites in Portland and Bangor
- Governor Janet Mills has extended Maine's 'civil state of emergency'. She has also issued a 'Stay Safe at Home' order and ordered all out-of-staters coming to Maine to quarantine for 14 days.
- A timeline of the coronavirus pandemic in Maine
- 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 more resources available to Mainers
- Local businesses are the backbones of our communities. NEWS CENTER Maine cares about our state and asks that you support your local business and restaurants right now. 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.
LATEST CORONAVIRUS UPDATES
THURSDAY APRIL 16
2 p.m.: Gov. Janet Mills and Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah provide coronavirus updates for Thursday
The Maine CDC announced three new deaths due to COVID-19:
- Woman in her 70s from Waldo County
- Man in his 70s from York County
- Woman in her 80s from York County
"These passings happen on a day when there are over 640,000 cases of COVID-19 in the United States, including over 30,000 deaths nationwide," Dr. Shah said. "as always, this is an important time to remember, that even though we talk about cases and numbers, numbers which are sometimes staggering, each and every one of these cases is a person."
There has been an increase of 26 cases since Wednesday, bringing the state total to 796.
Community transmission is now confirmed in Androscoggin County. Cumberland, York, and Penobscot Counties had previously been identified as having community transmission.
The Maine CDC continues to track the five outbreak at long-term care facilities across the state:
- Just a few hours ago, Maine CDC learned of a new outbreak at a senior living facility called Falmouth By the Sea, and they are in the beginning of their investigation. Three residents and one staff member have tested positive for COVID-19. A shipment of PPE was immediately shipped to the facility.
- Tall Pines in Waldo County: There has been an increase of 10 cases since Wednesday. The bulk of the new cases is among residents, with eight, and two are among staff. In total, there are 35 individuals among staff and residents with COVID-19.
- The Cedars in Portland: Three residents and two staff members have confirmed positive cases, and the Maine CDC is awaiting results from a large number of tests. Dr. Shah says they are expecting those results by Friday.
- Augusta Center for Health and Rehabilitation: There is one new case since Wednesday, which is a staff member. The total number of cases is 70: 45 are residents and 25 are staff.
- Maine Veterans' Home in Scarborough: There are three new cases since Wednesday, for a total of 41 cases among residents and staff. Thursday morning the Maine CDC received results from a separate unit within Maine Vets that had tested, and all of those results came back negative. "This is a testament to what quick, concise, and data-informed infection control practices can do during an outbreak setting, and prevent that outbreak from spreading across a facility more widely," Dr. Shah said.
"One of the things we know about outbreaks, is that they are in a sense a stress test on the health care system, and they don't create cracks in the health care system, so much as they do reveal them."
2 p.m.
1:50 p.m.
- Gov. Janet Mills signs an Executive Order that protects Mainers from being evicted, and also announces a $5 million COVID-19 Rent Relief Program.
1 p.m.
12:15 p.m.
11:45 a.m.
- The Maine CDC is reporting three additional deaths due to COVID-19. There are 796 confirmed cases, 333 have recovered, and a total of 27 people have died.
- There are 47 people currently hospitalized, 20 are in critical care and seven are on a ventilator.
11:30 a.m.
- U.S. Maine Sens. Angus King and Susan Collins have been appointed to the presidential task force focused on charting a safe path to re-opening the American economy.
8:30 a.m.
- The Maine Department of Labor released the new unemployment filing stats Thursday morning. The state saw a significant dip in new claims with just over 13,000 last week. Even with the dip, Maine set a new four-week record with nearly 90,000 new unemployment claims.
7:00 a.m.
MAINE CDC BRIEFINGS
Thursday's briefing will begin at 2 p.m. with Dr. Nirav Shah and Governor Janet Mills
- WEX to cut, furlough employees
- Maine families find silver lining of extra time and family togetherness during coronavirus
- Laundromats across Maine take precautions against spread of coronavirus
- More cases of COVID-19, including nursing homes
- Read this before you raid your 401(k) during coronavirus crisis
- VERIFY: Is the IRS site safe? Will I have to pay back my check? And other common stimulus questions.
- Real-time Maine coronavirus update: Spread continues to increase in long-term care facilities
- A student-led group on MDI is using 3D printers to make PPE for health care workers and first responders during coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic
- Funeral home makes sure Mainers don't mourn in an empty room amid coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic
- Bath Iron Works, Local S6 agree to month-long contract extension amid coronavirus pandemic
- You’ve been working from home for a month now. Here’s how to be more productive.
- Baxter State Park is closed until further notice as a result of coronavirus, COVID-19
- When will you get your stimulus check? IRS launches tracking tool
- Mainers take to hiking amid stay home order
- Maine Medical Center joins clinical trials studying potential treatment for COVID-19
RESOURCES
- Maine food resources and retail adjustments
- How to file for Maine unemployment
- 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'
- Maine school and business closings
- What shelter-in-place, stay-at-home orders mean
- What Homeland Security deems 'essential businesses'
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) announced on Tuesday, March 10 that they would be holding daily coronavirus briefings with director Dr. Nirav Shah to keep the public up to date on the situation in Maine.