MAINE, USA — KEY MAINE CORONAVIRUS FACTS
- Read Governor Janet Mills' plan to reopen rural Maine
- 77 Mainers have died out of 2,103 COVID-19 cases. 1,804 of these cases are confirmed by test and 209 are probable.
- 243 Mainers have been hospitalized, 1,232 Mainers have recovered. The trend remains more recoveries and fewer hospitalizations.
- Governor Janet Mills has extended Maine's statewide stay-safer-at-home order to May 31
- Gov. Mills extended the state of emergency proclamation to June 11.
- Read Maine Governor Janet Mills' detailed plan to reopen Maine economy during coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic
- Read Maine Phase 1 COVID-19 Prevention Checklist to help business reopen with reduced coronavirus restrictions
- 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 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.
SATURDAY MAY 23
5PM
2PM
Noon
The Maine Center for Disease Control released COVID-19 coronavirus cases as of Noon Saturday:
Total cases = 2,013
Confirmed cases = 1,804
Probable cases = 209
Cumulative hospitalizations = 243
Recovered = 1,232
Deaths = 77
The additional deaths reported today are a woman in her 80s from Cumberland County and a man in his 70s from Cumberland County.
Total currently hospitalized = 50
In critical care = 26
On a ventilator = 11
Available critical care beds = 156
Total critical care beds = 388
Available ventilators = 244
Total ventilators = 318
Alternative ventilators = 439
- Marinas and Harbormasters prepare for Memorial Day Weekend amid coronavirus pandemic
- Mainstream Media’s Hot Radio Maine, Lee Auto Malls will air free commercials for small businesses amid coronavirus, COVID-19
- Memorial Day weekend not big for tourists this time
- Nurse's before-and-after COVID-19 photos show effects of weeks on ventilator
- 2 million have recovered from COVID-19 around the world
- Trump tells governors to let houses of worship open 'right now'
- Maine Department of Corrections confirms second case of COVID-19
- Statewide volunteer group brings "Mainers Together"
- Dr. Fauci: Long lockdown could do 'irreparable damage,' but reopening must be cautious
- Read Maine Phase 1 COVID-19 Prevention Checklist to help business reopen with reduced coronavirus restrictions
- Great State of Maine Air Show canceled due to coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic
- More Maine hospitals, practices resume elective procedures amid coronavirus, COVID-19
- UPDATE: Sunday River Brewing Company says it got licenses taken away Friday
- Mayors want a piece of 1.25 billion in federal coronavirus CARES Act funding
- How to observe Memorial Day in the age of coronavirus
- Maine unemployment rate jumps to record 10.6 percent in April amid coronavirus, COVID-19
THE DATA
Dr. Nirav Shah made clear that when the Maine CDC reports deaths, they are reporting that someone has died who had been confirmed positive with COVID-19, not the cause of death specifically. The cause of death determination is left to the medical examiner.
According to Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah, as of a few days ago, there were roughly 2,900 Mainers tested each week. This includes people tested through the state lab in Augusta, as well as large commercial testing companies like LabCorp. Dr. Shah said right now, the positivity rate is over 5%, meaning for every 100 people tested, about 5 or 6 are positive. Compared to other states, whose positivity rates are 10 or 15%, Maine is doing better, Dr. Shah says. He says he'd like to see Maine's positivity rate around 2%, which is what South Korea's is. To do that, Dr. Shah says testing must increase two or three-fold.
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.