Maine reports 25 new cases of COVID-19, one additional death
Maine reported 25 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and one more death.
Eight cases were removed from Tuesday’s numbers, so the net increase on Wednesday was 17. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention updates previously-released numbers for various reasons, most commonly if a probable case is later found to be negative.
William Sheats of Auburn cruises through Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston on his skateboard Tuesday afternoon. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal Buy this Photo
Meanwhile, 32 more Mainers have recovered from the disease, bringing active cases down from 428 to 412.
Overall, 3,992 Mainers have fallen ill with COVID-19, 124 have died, and 3,456 have recovered.
Cases peaked in Maine in late May, when the daily average topped 50. There was a slight spike in late June as well, when daily cases averaged near 40, but the numbers declined in July and now average about 20 cases per day.
The state is continuing to investigate three outbreaks in the blueberry industry, including four cases at Wyman’s in Milbridge, 10 at Hancock Foods in Ellsworth and nine cases at Merrill Farms in Hancock.
Mount Desert Island Hospital in Bar Harbor reported Monday that at least 35 out-of-state visitors carrying COVID-19 have been on the island at some point this summer and could have spread the disease in the community. Because of lengthy delays at major national test processors, tourists didn’t learn they had tested positive until they were already traveling in Maine.
Dr. Nirav Shah, Maine CDC director, said on Tuesday that visitors to Maine from other states should quarantine until they get their test results back. The state agency has been working with the hospital on contact tracing.
“Our guidance is clear: If you are coming to Maine before you have a negative test result in hand, you should absolutely be quarantined,” Shah said. “If individuals follow that, the theoretical contacts with Maine people should be really low.”
Since the pandemic began, the Maine CDC has tracked 170 positive test results from out-of-state people. Shah said many of the 170 live in nearby New Hampshire and may receive health care in Maine.
This story will be updated.
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