The number of Maine hospital patients with COVID-19 jumped 11 percent on Tuesday, reversing a steady decline over the past two weeks.

There were 186 inpatients statewide as of Tuesday morning, up from 167 on Monday, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those hospitalized Tuesday, 25 were in critical care and three were on ventilators.

The one-day increase comes after a decline over the past two weeks from a peak of 231 patients on May 17 to a low of 163 on Sunday.

Despite the one-day increase in hospitalizations, other indicators continue to point to an easing of the latest surge. The pace of positive tests submitted to the state has declined, as has the percentage of tests that came back positive. Wastewater testing also has shown virus levels falling in most large sewer districts.

The state reported 330 new COVID cases on Tuesday, although processing was interrupted over the holiday weekend and it was not clear if there were more positive tests that had yet to be added to the case count.

Since the pandemic began, Maine has recorded 262,902 cases and 2,346 deaths.


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