MAINE, USA — KEY MAINE CORONAVIRUS FACTS
- As of Monday, 100 Mainers have died out of 2,606 COVID-19 total cases. 2,322 of these cases are confirmed by test and 284 are probable.
- 302 Mainers have been hospitalized, 1,992 Mainers have recovered.
- Phase 2 of Maine's reopening plan begins, as businesses can still deny service to those without face coverings
- Read Governor Janet Mills' plan to reopen rural Maine
- 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.
TUESDAY, JUNE 9
2 p.m.
Maine has reached a grim milestone: 100 people have died with COVID-19 in the state.
The Maine CDC is reporting 2,606 total cases. Of those, 2,322 are confirmed and 284 are probable.
1,992 Mainers have recovered from COVID-19.
Dr. Shah noted, as he has many times, that individuals can still transmit COVID-19 even though they're not experiencing symptoms. He reiterated the continued importance of wearing face coverings in public.
"It really is a sign of respect for other people in your community when you go out and wear a face covering," Dr. Shah said. "It's you acknowledging that there's a chance that you might have COVID-19 and that you might transmit it to somebody even though you feel fine. And to me it's a sign of respect to other people."
CONTINUED OUTBREAKS
There remains a total of 84 COVID-19 cases among residents and staff at Cape Memory Care in Cape Elizabeth.
At Eldredge Lumber in York, there continues to be a total of 13 COVID-19 cases.
At the Proctor & Gamble facility in Auburn, there continues to be a total of seven confirmed COVID-19 cases.
NEW OUTBREAKS
The Maine CDC is investigating an outbreak at Montello Manor, a rehabilitation facility in Lewiston. So far, there are three confirmed COVID-19 cases at the facility.
At Serenity Residential Care in Gorham, there are five confirmed COVID-19 cases. The Maine CDC has opened an outbreak investigation there as well.
At Support Solutions in Auburn, there are four confirmed COVID-19 cases. Maine CDC has opened an outbreak investigation at the facility.
At the Abbott Laboratories facility in Scarborough, there are 23 confirmed COVID-19 cases among about 600 employees. Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah said the company was proactive in testing its employees, starting in April. Abbott is now testing not only full-time employees, but contracted workers who come to their campus as well.
At the Nichols Manufacturing factory in Portland, there are seven confirmed COVID-19 cases.
11:45 a.m.
10:45 a.m.
- New COVID-19 testing to help tourists skip quarantine; business owners not impressed
- Keep ME Open: Adam Clark Fitness is burning calories outside
- Proof of negative COVID-19 test can be ticket into Maine, Mills announces
- Group suing Gov. Mills over COVID-19 order files preliminary injunction in York County
- State to quadruple COVID-19 testing capacity with expanded IDEXX partnership
- Maine Bicentennial events postponed to 2021
- York's Wild Kingdom plans to open zoo June 20; will not open amusement park
- Performing During A Pandemic
- Mitt Romney is 1st Republican senator to join protest
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.