PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - The number of people who’ve tested positive for the coronavirus dipped to the lowest in more than a month, more positive news as the state reopens, the Maine Center for Disease Control reported Tuesday.
Nine people tested positive in the previous 24 hours, the lowest number since late April, officials said. No deaths were reported.
That brings to 2,819 the total number of people who’ve tested positive in Maine, while the number of deaths was unchanged at 101.
The rolling average of the so-called positivity rate over the last week dipped slightly below 3% and the overall positivity rate since March fell to 4.57%, Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control, said Monday.
“These trends show that we’re pointing in the right direction but that we’ve all got more to do,” he said.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
In other news related to the virus:
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ANTIBODY TESTING
The American Red Cross says it will test all blood donations for coronavirus antibodies.
Mary Brant, communications manager for the Red Cross Northern New England Region, said the testing is aimed to providing donors “some peace of mind and to know if they have these antibodies.”
The Red Cross will report the number of positive tests to state and federal health agencies, but personal information won’t be released.
The Red Cross says donations that test positive for COVID-19 antibodies can still safely be donated and used in medical procedures.
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HOSPITAL FUNDING
Maine’s two U.S. senators said Tuesday that “safety net” hospitals in the state have been awarded more than $52 million in federal funds. The hospitals treat large numbers of Medicaid patients and often provide uncompensated care, the senators said.
Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King said the hospitals “are the backbone of Maine’s health system” and are especially critical during the pandemic.
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