COVID-19 Hospitalizations in Maine Have Been Rising This Summer

The number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 in Maine on Tuesday climbed to the highest level in five weeks, according to the latest data from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Officials on Tuesday reported a total of 141 patients with COVID statewide, up from 119 patients a week ago.

Of those patients, 22 are being treated in intensive care units, which is twice the number reported just five days ago. Just one patient is currently on a ventilator in Maine as a result of COVID-19.

Maine has averaged about 220 new cases per day over the past week, according to the daily CDC case count. That total does not, however, include results of at-home tests.

Rise in COVID Cases in Maine Mirrors Uptick Nationwide

COVID-19 hospitalizations have been rising across the U.S. this summer as new more transmissible omicron subvariants drive up infection rates. These new subvariants have proven to be more contagious and more likely to infect people with some past immunity, although they are not as apt to cause severe illness as previous strains of the virus.

Health officials say older people with underlying medical conditions and people who are unvaccinated are most likely to need hospital care for a coronavirus infection.

Battling COVID-19 at the Community Level Remains Important

Since the pandemic began, Maine has recorded a total of 273,567 cases and 2,464 deaths. Roughly 1 in 5 residents have contracted COVID. In Aroostook County, there have been 15,631 confirmed or probable cases reported and 180 people have died since March 2020.

Officials are urging residents to take reasonable precautions to avoid contracting or spreading the virus. That includes basic practices like washing your hands, avoiding crowded indoor areas in public, wearing a mask in close quarters and staying home if you’re sick.