Maine reported a slight decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations for the second day in a row on Thursday.
A total of 125 infected patients were hospitalized statewide, including 25 in critical care and four on ventilators, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The overall number is down from 128 on Wednesday but up from 109 a week ago.
The state also reported 351 new cases of the virus and 17 additional deaths. Only one of the deaths occurred within the past 48 hours, while 16 were identified during a review of vital records.
Maine continues to see hospitalizations and case counts holding steady at levels far higher than the previous two summers. That’s likely the result of the more contagious omicron subvariants, including BA.4 and BA.5.
The latest strains of the virus may be better able to infect people who have had previous immunity, either from a past infection or from vaccinations. While they do not appear to cause severe illness at the same rate as early versions of the disease, they can still be dangerous and even deadly.
Health officials continue to urge people to get vaccinations and booster shots to protect from infection and severe illness. Patients hospitalized because of COVID symptoms tend to be older with underlying health conditions or young and unvaccinated, health officials say.
Fifteen of Maine’s 16 counties are now classified as having low community transmission levels of the virus, according to data updated Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are no masking recommendations for residents of counties with low levels, except when in public transportation or medical facilities.
Aroostook County was reclassified Thursday from low to medium, meaning the case counts and hospitalization rates there have increased from a week ago. The CDC recommends residents of counties with medium community transmission levels wear masks when indoors if they are at high risk of severe symptoms or complications because of age or medical conditions.
Since the pandemic began, Maine has recorded 271,149 cases and 2,453 deaths.
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