Maine CDC reports 131 new COVID-19 cases, with no additional deaths

The Maine Disease Control and Prevention Center on Sunday reported 131 new cases of the new coronavirus and no additional deaths, a continuing decline in the number of cases as vaccination programs increase.

Despite climate-related delays in vaccine shipments across the country, Maine health officials say that prior planning has prevented major disruptions to vaccine schedules. The state is scheduled to receive up to 14 percent more doses this week, and has already given a first dose to almost 15 percent of its population on Sunday morning.

Maine’s cumulative COVID-19 cases increased to 43,497 on Sunday. Of these, 34,502 were confirmed by testing and 8,995 are considered probable cases of COVID-19. Hospitalizations, in turn, dropped to 71 on Sunday.

Six hundred and fifty-eight people have died of COVID-19 since the Maine pandemic began. The seven-day average of new daily cases was 139.9 on Sunday, slightly higher than Saturday’s 138.4, but only a fraction of the peak in January.

As of Sunday morning, 199,360 Maine residents had received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 94,767 the second. Out of the Maine population of 1.3 million, 14.83 percent received their first dose, according to Maine CDC statistics.

Last week, Northern Light Health announced that a mass vaccination site at the Portland Expo – also scheduled for the group aged 70 and over – is scheduled to open on March 2 and will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Despite the increasing availability of vaccines, Maine’s eligibility rules are causing confusion and frustration among some older residents who wonder when it will be their turn to get the vaccine. Some states, such as Massachusetts, have adopted a “camaraderie” system where a minor spouse may have a chance with his or her eligible partner.

Maine is not considering adopting such a rule, health officials say, although Governor Janet Mills appears to contradict that guidance at a meeting last month.

“If a 71-year-old shows up at a clinic to be vaccinated and brings his 69 and 10-month-old spouse, he probably will not refuse that spouse, because it is efficient and clinically appropriate for both to be vaccinated,” said Mills. at the time.

At the moment, Maine is focused on vaccinating people aged 70 and over, healthcare professionals who interact with patients, long-term residents and public security personnel. Not only did public health officials confirm last week that they were not considering a camaraderie system, Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey said he would consider sanctions against suppliers who distribute vaccines to people who are not eligible.

In some cases, this can hamper efforts to distribute the remaining vaccines before they spoil. And with fraudsters in some other states falsifying their identities to skip the vaccine line, Maine hospitals say it is difficult to confirm with certainty that recipients are eligible.

Meanwhile, two Westbrook City officials tested positive for COVID-19, the city announced Saturday afternoon. The city hall will be closed until March 1, as the building undergoes thorough cleaning and all employees are tested, officials said.

County by county until Sunday, there were 4,695 cases of coronavirus in Androscoggin, 1,257 in Aroostook, 12,228 in Cumberland, 880 in Franklin, 874 in Hancock, 3,548 in Kennebec, 622 in Knox, 566 in Lincoln, 2,157 in Oxford, 3,784 in Penobscot, 244 in Piscataquis, 865 in Sagadahoc, 1,230 in Somerset, 574 in Waldo, 704 in Washington and 9,266 in York.

By age, 15.2 percent of patients were under 20 years old, while 18.1 percent were in their 20s, 14.4 percent in their 30s, 13.1 percent in their 40s, 15, 3 percent in their 50s, 11.7 percent in their 60s, 6.6 percent were in their 70s and 5.6% were 80 or older.

Of 71 patients with COVID-19 in Maine hospitals on Sunday, 24 were in intensive care and seven were on ventilators. The state had 114 beds of intensive care units available out of a total of 386 and 251 fans available from 319. There were also 446 alternative fans.

Worldwide, on Sunday night, there were 111.2 million known cases of COVID-19 and more than 2.46 million deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States had 28.1 million cases and 498,786 deaths.

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