Maine exceeds 100 COVID-19 hospitalizations for the first time - Press Herald

The number of hospitalized individuals with COVID-19 topped 100 in Maine for the first time on Monday as the state continues to see a steady increase in coronavirus cases, serious illnesses and deaths.

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 103 people were hospitalized — an increase of eight from Sunday — and that the number of people in critical care beds also ticked up from 42 to 45. Four weeks ago, on Oct. 26, there were just 13 hospitalizations among people with COVID-19 in Maine and five individuals being treated in critical care units.

The Maine CDD also reported 185 new cases Monday as well as one additional death. The seven-day average of daily new cases was 205.9 on Monday, compared to 181.4 a week ago and 33.7 a month ago. The surge in cases in Maine started in late October and early November and has continued.

The continued high case counts and hospitalizations alarm public health experts in Maine.

Hospitalizations have surged across Maine in recent weeks, particularly in central, western and eastern Maine. The 103 hospitalizations is more than 50 percent higher than the worst day during the spring surge of the virus. And while the number of individuals in intensive care units has fallen somewhat since last week, from 49 to 45 as of Monday, there are concerns that the coronavirus cases are surging at a time when the seasonal flu typically results in a spike in hospitalizations in Maine.

With Thanksgiving on Thursday, if warnings to limit travel and avoid gatherings that don’t include immediate family members go unheeded, experts say a further escalation in COVID-19 cases could occur in the weeks after Thanksgiving. A projection by AAA for New England shows that Thanksgiving travel in New England states is only expected to be down about 9 percent.

Dr. Nirav Shah, Maine CDC director, will address the media at 2 p.m. today. Overall, there have been 10,544 COVID-19 cases, and 177 deaths.

Last week, Gov. Janet Mills imposed a 9 p.m. closing time for restaurants, movie theaters, tasting rooms and casinos that began Friday and lasts until Dec. 6.

With two vaccines nearing FDA approval, Maine CDC officials say they’re planning a large-scale effort to vaccinate as many people as possible, as soon as possible, involving the National Guard, firefighters, paramedics and numerous other health care workers. The first limited supply of doses could arrive in mid- to late-December, with most of the supplies arriving in 2021.

This story will be updated.

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