The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said today there are 10 new cases of the coronavirus across the state, including the first case reported in Hancock County.

Dr. Nirav Shah said that his agency has confirmed 42 cases of COVID-19, while another 10 people are presumed to have contracted the virus.

Hundreds more people who may have had contact with someone who is ill are in quarantine. Others are sheltering at home to avoid exposure to the coronavirus.

Maine CDC said there are 42 Confirmed Cases, 10 Presumptive Positive Cases with 2,004 Negative Cases as of 12 pm, March 19, 2020.

For comparison, the numbers from Thursday, March 18, from the Maine CDC were 30 Confirmed Cases, 13 Presumptive Positive Cases and 1,670 Negative Tests as of 12 pm, March 18.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills has issued an Executive Order mandating that all bars and restaurants suspend dine-in service until Midnight on March 31st. The order also bans gatherings of more than 10 people. Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick's Chief Medical Officer of Health, says three more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the province, bringing the total number to 11. Dr. Russell reiterated the need for people to engage in social distancing practices to help slow the spread of the viral disease.

Closure of the U.S-Canada border will begin in earnest today as the two countries work out the details of banning non-essential travel. Prime Minister Trudeau and President Trump announced the ban Wednesday, intended to help curtail the rapid spread of COVID-19 without disrupting the flow of goods and services on which Canadians and Americans depend. But details are still being worked out, including exactly when the ban is to go into effect and how border agents are to distinguish between essential and non-essential travelers.

The Maine Department of Labor has announced a dramatic spike in unemployment claims amid the spread of Coronavirus in the state. There were 750 filings during the first week of March. Maine Labor commissioner Laura Fortman told WGAN there were about 5,000 claims from Sunday to Wednesday of this week.

The Canadian Red Cross says public access to its full-time offices and part-time depots throughout the Atlantic provinces is suspended until further notice. This decision affects thirteen sites in New Brunswick, including offices in Edmundston and Woodstock, and the part-time depot in Grand Falls

The table below is updated once each day Monday through Friday by 12:00 PM EDT.

Maine COVID-19 Testing Data
Updated: March 19, 2020 at 12:15 PM
Confirmed Cases1Presumptive Positive Cases2Negative Tests3
42102,004
Confirmed, Presumptive and Recovered Case Counts by County
CountyConfirmedPresumptive PositiveRecovered
Androscoggin121
Aroostook00
Cumberland214
Franklin00
Hancock10
Kennebec30
Knox00
Lincoln30
Oxford10
Penobscot10
Piscataquis00
Sagadahoc00
Somerset00
Waldo00
Washington00
York21
Unknown93
Enter your number to get our free mobile app

More From