Maine Records 10 COVID-19 Deaths, 897 New Cases Since Saturday

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday reported 10 additional COVID-19 deaths since its last count on Saturday.

There were also 897 new coronavirus cases in that three-day period. Penobscot County recorded five deaths and 282 new infections. Aroostook County had one death and 49 additional cases included in the latest CDC report.

The seven-day average for new cases in Maine is now at 597 per day, compared to an average of 383 per day a month ago. The Center for Disease Control says some of the cases included in recent reports are a result of working through a backlog of positive tests.

Some good news is that the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 has dropped to the lowest level in nearly three weeks. Hospitalizations peaked at 235 on Sept. 25 and on Monday had dipped to 192. There are 62 patients in critical care at Maine hospitals, with 21 on ventilators.

COVID-19 vaccines are the best defense against the virus that has claimed 700,000 lives across the U.S. Vaccines are available free of charge at numerous sites across the state, with many pharmacies offering walk-in clinics.

Due to the high rates of transmission, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people in all of Maine’s 16 counties wear face coverings in public indoor settings.

New Brunswick Update

A sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in New Brunswick forced more than a dozen schools to close on Monday. Public Health reported 75 new cases and two more deaths. Health officials said there are now 767 active cases in the province with 49 people in hospital and 21 in intensive care. On Saturday, New Brunswick reported its highest single-day increase in COVID infections, with 140 new cases and four more deaths attributed to the virus.