MAINE, USA — KEY MAINE CORONAVIRUS FACTS
- 51 Mainers have died out of 1,040 confirmed COVID-19 cases
- 163 Mainers have been hospitalized, 585 Mainers have recovered
- Governor Janet Mills has extended Maine's statewide stay-safer-at-home order to May 31
- Read Maine Governor Janet Mills' detailed plan to reopen Maine economy during coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic
- 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.
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LATEST CORONAVIRUS UPDATES
TUESDAY APRIL 28
3 p.m. Governor Mills announces "Stay Safer at Home" extension
Governor Janet Mills announced she will extend Maine’s stay-at-home order in the form of a new “Stay Safer at Home” Executive Order that will extend through May 31.
The new order, which the governor said she will issue by Thursday, will continue to have Maine people stay at home with limited exceptions for already permitted activities, such as grocery shopping or exercising. However, the new "Stay Safer at Home" order will also allow Maine people to visit businesses or participate in activities that are deemed safe to open under Stage 1 of the reopening plan.
According to Mills, progression through the stages of her administration's four-stage plan will occur month-by-month, depending on the success of previous stages. For example, Stage 1 will begin on May 1, if there are no new trends that change the plan. Stage 2 will begin in June, and Stage 3 will begin in July and continue through August. Stage 4, which lifts the most restrictions, will start at a point to be determined in the future.
According to Mills, a month-by-month breakdown of the stages allows for sufficient time to assess the effectiveness of the health and safety precautions adopted and evaluate the potential need to adjust course.
More on Gov. Mills' 4-stage plan to restart Maine's economy HERE.
Dr. Nirav Shah, Director of the Maine CDC, said they are focusing on three criteria as the state looks toward reopening :
- Reduction of COVID-19 symptoms
- Decrease in COVID-19 cases
- Healthy system preparedness
12:30 p.m.
11:45 a.m.
The Maine CDC announced no additional deaths on Tuesday. The state's COVID-19 death total remains at 51.
Of the 1,040 confirmed cases in Maine, 585 Mainers have recovered. 245 of the 1,040 confirmed cases are health care workers.
33 Mainers are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19. Of those 33, 17 are in critical care and 7 are on ventilators.
163 people in Maine have been hospitalized at some point during their COVID-19 illness.
Governor Janet Mills is expected to announce her plan to reopen Maine's economy on Tuesday. The update is scheduled for 3 p.m. Gov. Mills will join Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah, Maine DHHS Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew, and Dept. of Economic Community Development Commissioner Heather Johnson at the briefing. We will be broadcasting it live on-air, as well as streaming it on our website, mobile app, YouTube channel, Facebook, and Twitter.
8 a.m.
- Gorham family brings Disney to Maine when COVID-19 derails vacation
- Gov. Mills approves bar, restaurants to sell 'cocktails to go'
- US likely to reach 1 million COVID-19 cases Tuesday
- Maine takes steps to confront budget crisis, freeze spending in response to effects of coronavirus, COVID-19
- 'Payment has arrived': Stimulus letters from Trump appear in mailboxes
- Portland to require public-facing workers to wear face coverings
- President Trump announces new coronavirus testing guidance
- JetBlue to require face coverings for passengers; American giving out masks
- Southwest Harbor 4th of July fireworks canceled due to coronavirus
- Bangor raises $60,000 for remote devices
- Allagash’s beer-filled ‘thank you’ week kicks off
- Sen. King, colleagues push Trump to waive states’ FEMA cost-sharing requirements
- Tyson Foods warns 'the food supply chain is breaking' as plants close due to coronavirus
- UMaine riding service is changing gears during the coronavirus pandemic
- The show can't go on for some local Maine theaters amidst COVID-19
TAKE A MOMENT FOR 'A BREATH OF FRESH AIR'
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'
MAINE CDC BRIEFINGS
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.