MAINE, USA — KEY MAINE CORONAVIRUS FACTS
- As of Tuesday, 148 Mainers have died out of 6,926 total COVID-19 cases. 6,138 of these cases are confirmed by test and 788 are probable.
- 502 Mainers have been hospitalized, 5,632 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.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3
The Maine CDC did not report any additional deaths of people with COVID-19. The state death toll remains at 148.
The Maine CDC reported 127 additional cases Tuesday, which is a single-day record for the state.
Of the 6,926 total COVID-19 cases in Maine, 6,138 are confirmed by test and 788 are probable.
502 Mainers have been hospitalized at some point during their COVID-19 illnesses.
5,632 Mainers have recovered from COVID-19.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2
The Maine CDC reported one additional death of a person with COVID-19, bringing the state death toll to 148.
The additional death reported Monday was a woman in her 80s from Androscoggin County. On Saturday, the Maine CDC reported the death of a woman in her 90s from York County. Their deaths mark the 147th and 148th deaths.
The Maine CDC reported 84 additional cases Monday. Of the 6,799 total COVID-19 cases in Maine, 6,039 are confirmed by test and 760 are probable.
495 Mainers have been hospitalized at some point during their COVID-19 illnesses.
5,588 Mainers have recovered from COVID-19.
Gov. Mills
Gov. Janet Mills led the coronavirus briefing on Monday to give updates into the state's updated guidelines that were announced on Sunday. In light of the recent concerning trends of increased cases and a 7-day positivity rate that doubled in the past two weeks, the Mills administration reduced indoor gathering limits, delayed reopening of bars and tasting rooms, and amended travel protocols for travelers coming to Maine from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
"The data is telling us our nation is off course," Mills said during the briefing on Monday.
Mills made the recent changes "to get Maine back on course."
One of the changes includes reduced indoor gathering limits to 50 people, which is what the limit was in the summer months; the outdoor limit remains 100 people. Mills says, however, "all gatherings pose a risk of transmission of this virus," and physical distancing and wearing face coverings are required in all gatherings.
Mills urged caution as the holidays approach. She encourages families to get creative when gathering so social distancing is still possible.
Monday would have been the first day bars and tasting rooms could reopen, but that was pushed back on Sunday as part of the guideline changes.
"I am deeply sorry that we've had to take this move and postpone the reopening," Mills said, speaking directly to bar and tasting room business owners across the state. "I know you were ready and willing to follow public health guidance to keep everybody safe—we realize this decision is going to cause further economic hardship. We don't take this action lightly."
Mills explained they have to balance public health with economic health at every step of the way, and she said given the increased number of cases, the administration couldn't in good conscience allow bars and tasting rooms to reopen.
"I want our economy to thrive; I want our businesses to survive and to thrive; and I want Maine people to stay alive."
"You can't have a healthy economy without healthy people," Mills said. "You have to put people first."
Mills also addressed some of the justifications people have been making about the increase of cases— that even though cases are rising in Maine, it still has one of the lowest case and death counts in the nation.
"One life lost to COVID is one too many," Mills said.
She referenced Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert and member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, who said the nation couldn't be positioned worse heading into the winter months. People will be gathering indoors, increasing the risk of spread.
Mills said Mainers have worked hard to be able to get back to some semblance of normalcy— with adjustments— this summer and fall.
Mills concluded, "This winter, let's adapt again to get ourselves into a better position so we can keep it that way because we're Maine—we know winter's coming. We know it's time to hunker down, bunker in, and buckle up. If we don't, we're in for a whole lot of hurt."
Dr. Shah
Dr. Shah says currently, 29 Mainers are in the hospital with COVID-19— eight of whom are in the ICU and one of whom is on a ventilator. Shah says to put those numbers in perspective, one week ago there were only nine people in the hospital due to COVID-19, with no one in the ICU or on ventilators.
New outbreaks:
- Deeper Life Assembly Church in Pittsfield: 11 cases of COVID-19 have been identified and traced to the church.
- Midcoast Athletic Center in Warren: Five cases thought to be related to kids playing basketball at the athletic center.
- Sandy River Center nursing facility in Farmington: Seven positive cases detected as part of the facility's frequent, universal testing protocol. Those seven cases are not included in Monday's case count, but will be reflected in Tuesday's report.
Open outbreak investigation updates:
- Pat's Pizza in the Old Port, Portland: Maine CDC has now connected 22 cases to the restaurant, but that number is likely to increase. Shah says they are also aware of additional individuals who the Maine CDC believes will be associated with this outbreak in the coming days.
- Durgin Pines in York County: A total of nine cases associated with the facility— seven of which are among residents, and two of which are among staff.
- Woodlands Senior Living in Cape Elizabeth: 18 cases— 15 residents and three staff members.
- Brooks Pentecostal Church in Waldo County: Remains a total of 60 cases.
- Second Baptist Church in Calais: There are 27 total cases associated with the church.
Maine's current seven-day positivity rate is 1.06 percent, which is about double what it was two weeks ago. Shah says Maine has not had a positivity rate of over 1 percent since around the end of July.
Since around July 22, the positivity rate has regularly been below one— "the fact that it has now tipped above 1 is a concerning sign," Shah said.
Shah says at the same time, the testing volume has reached a new high. Maine is currently conducting 590 PCR tests per 100,000 people: "That is a good sign and it helps us ensure that when new cases develop, or when they reach new geographic areas, we have the infrastructure in place to detect those cases and work with them to try and limit transmission."
Shah says the recent data shows Maine is experiencing community transmission across the state. In just the past four days, there have been cases in all 16 of Maine's counties.
"This is deeply concerning from a disease control perspective," Shah said, "because up until now, the bulk of cases in Maine were driven by focal outbreaks. But as we now see dispersed transmission across the state, it means that each and every one of us is going to have to do even more to do our part to reduce the number of new cases."
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