Maine Reports 152 More COVID-19 Cases Amid Rising Transmission Rates

Maine on Thursday reported 152 more cases of COVID-19, as much of the state continues to experience substantial levels of transmission of the virus.

The total number of cases reported since the start of the pandemic stands at 70,996 and there have been 900 deaths. No additional deaths were reported Thursday.

The latest figures bring the seven-day average of new cases in the state to 107.6, up from 69 a week ago and 20 cases per day a month ago.

The new case numbers reflect rising infection rates in Aroostook and Franklin counties, whose new case numbers on Thursday put them in the “substantial” transmission category where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of United States recommends indoor masks for all. The counties of Cumberland, Lincoln, Penobscot, Piscataquis and York were already in the substantial transmissions category.

Waldo County remains in the “high” transmission category, where masks are also recommended. All other counties are in the “moderate” category.

Community transmission is believed to be behind the high transmission rates in Waldo County, according to the Maine CDC. The US CDC defines high transmission as cumulative cases of 100 or more per 100,000 people in the past seven days. Waldo County’s current seven-day case rate is 199 cases per 100,000 people.

The new U.S. CDC guidelines, released last week, have confused some residents and business owners as they attempt to navigate the daily changes in county classifications that can result in different masking guidelines.

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr Nirav Shah told the Maine Calling radio show Monday that Maine’s low population levels make the state particularly sensitive to fluctuations in risk levels and that frequent changes can ‘confuse’ people. He said his agency would investigate whether a different approach to the U.S. CDC’s map would be more suitable for Maine to determine high-risk areas.

Responding to Wednesday’s questions about the US CDC’s masking guidelines and whether Maine might consider a different approach, Robert Long, spokesperson for the Maine CDC, said, “We continue to explore ways to help residents. and visitors to Maine to understand the current risks associated with transmission of covid19. Vaccination remains the best way to reduce these risks, especially deaths and hospitalizations with COVID-19. “

On Thursday, 44 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Maine, including 18 in intensive care and seven on a ventilator.

Vaccinations have fallen in recent weeks, but the state continues to have one of the best vaccination rates in the country, with 69 percent of the vaccine-eligible population aged 12 and over fully vaccinated and 60 percent of the entire population. The shootings are still ongoing with more than 3,000 doses administered between Monday and Tuesday of this week, according to data from the Maine CDC.

In the United States, the number of coronavirus cases has increased due to the spread of the delta variant, mainly among the unvaccinated. The United States reported 112,270 new cases on Thursday, bringing the seven-day average of daily new cases to 96,036. This is up from a seven-day average of 12,434 a month ago, according to the reports. New York Times data.

The growing number of cases is prompting employers, healthcare providers and universities to announce COVID-19 vaccine requirements and incentives. The city of South Thomaston said on Wednesday it would pay residents or others who frequent the city $ 200 to be vaccinated.

The University of Maine system now requires vaccines for students on campus this fall, speeding up a previously stated schedule that called for a vaccine requirement for students and staff after a vaccine is fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States.

The College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, which had also previously said it would wait for full FDA approval before moving forward with a vaccine requirement, announced Thursday that all faculty, staff and students who plan to be on campus this academic year should be vaccinated.

Maine’s largest healthcare network, MaineHealth, said earlier in the week that it would require COVID-19 vaccination for all employees by October 1. Some Portland-area restaurants also require customers to be vaccinated so they can dine inside.

This story will be updated.

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