MAINE, USA — Editor’s note: NEWS CENTER Maine and all 9 United Ways of Maine have partnered for Maine United, a fund to help those in need right now. Donate Thursday or call our Maine United Telethon phone bank on Thursday, April 9, between 6:00am - 9:00pm.
KEY MAINE CORONAVIRUS FACTS
- 16 Mainers have died out of 560 confirmed COVID-19 cases
- 105 Mainers have been hospitalized, 202 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 issued a 'Stay Safe at Home' order. She has also ordered all out-of-staters coming to Maine to quarantine for 14 days.
- Maine education commissioner recommends schools keep remote learning for remainder of school year
- 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
- Subscribe to 'break time with NEWS CENTER Maine' our new newsletter. Delivered to your email inbox for your break time.
LATEST CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
THURSDAY APRIL 9
6:45 p.m.
Cases in New Hampshire rose to 821. There have been 21 deaths from COVID-19 in the state.
The above map shows the hardest hit counties in Maine and New Hampshire.
5:30 p.m.
$1 billion in forgivable loans were approved for Maine small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program. Sen. Susan Collins announced 5,334 Maine small businesses were approved for loans to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. These loans will be forgiven so long as employers keep their workers on payroll.
3 p.m.
Their factories in Norridgewock, Maine and Lawrence, Mass. pivoted to making masks to help in the fight against the coronavirus. A spokesperson for New Balance told NEWS CENTER Maine the furloughs would not affect their mask production efforts.
2:30 p.m.
The Maine Principals' Association (MPA) announced the 2020 spring sports season is canceled.
The MPA, a professional association representing Maine's K-12 principals, assistant principals, and career and technology center directors, said the decision was not taken lightly, but one they felt necessary to support Gov. Janet Mills, the Maine CDC, and the Dept. of Education's recommendations to continue remote learning for the remainder of the school year.
11:15 a.m. Maine CDC Briefing
Maine CDC announced on its website there are now 560 confirmed COVID-19 in the state.
Maine CDC also reported two new deaths Thursday, bringing the state total to 16. One of the deaths announced Thursday was a man in his 80s from Cumberland County. The other was a woman in her 90s from Waldo County.
105 people in Maine who have tested positive have been hospitalized at some point during their illness. 202 people have fully recovered from the virus.
There have been 11,608 people who have tested negative in Maine.
As of Wednesday evening, 13 Maine residents have tested positive in another state. These people are included in Maine's totals. There are 17 people who are residents of another state who have tested positive in Maine. They are included in their home state's totals.
Tall Pines, an assisted living facility in Belfast, has 13 positive cases among residents and staff.
Maine CDC is having discussions with Martin's Point Health Care about partnering for testing. Dr. Shah said he'll have more to report about that on Friday.
Dr. Shah said there has been a 61% reduction in traffic flow at the Maine - New Hampshire border on I-95 this past week compared to the same week a year ago. Dr. Shah said across the state, traffic patterns on the interstate are down about 53%.
"Right now staying inside and introducing physical distance is the best vaccine we've got," Dr. Shah said.
10 a.m.
Dunkin' serves up free coffee and donuts to healthcare workers at Maine Medical Center amid COVID-19
4 a.m.
Maine is seeing the on record highest weekly totals for the third week in a row of unemployment claims. Initial claims totaled about 23,700 and 21,500 the previous two weeks. Continued claims for the week increased to 41,300 from the previous week’s 22,000 claims.
- Maine CDC says hospital data, new coronavirus, COVID-19 test kits harder to get than expected
- Portland Public Schools extends remote learning to end of school year amid coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic
- Waterville law firm sees an increase in will preparation during coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic
- Passover in the days of coronavirus, COVID-19
- Maine United campaign is already helping thousands of Mainers during the coronavirus pandemic
- Education commissioner: 'we’re all going to emerge from this way better than ever before'
- Governor Mills signs Executive Order to allow remote notarization in response to coronavirus, COVID-19
- Central Maine Healthcare furloughs about 300 staffers amid the coronavirus pandemic
- Maine's first recipient of Abbott Labs' rapid COVID-19 test is Martin's Point Health Care
- Sen. King pushes to support local journalism amid coronavirus pandemic
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.