March 26 evening update: Latest on the coronavirus and Maine

March 26 evening update: Latest on the coronavirus and Maine

Click here for the latest coronavirus news, which the BDN has made free for the public. You can support this mission by purchasing a digital subscription.

Here’s a roundup of today’s COVID-19 news in Maine and New England, as of 6 p.m. Read all of our coronavirus coverage here.

— The number of confirmed cases in the state increased to 155, up from 142 on Tuesday.

— The coronavirus has hit the hardest in Cumberland County, where 90 cases have been reported, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Other cases have been detected in Androscoggin (5), Franklin (1), Kennebec (6), Knox (1), Lincoln (5), Oxford (8), Penobscot (5), Sagadahoc (4), Waldo (2) and York (27) counties.

— Twenty-two people have been hospitalized with the virus, and 16 people have recovered from the virus.

— The number of Mainers that tested negative for COVID-19 increased to 3,394. This is up from 3,177 on Tuesday.

— We’re tracking the number of coronavirus cases in the state. Check out the latest here.

— More Mainers are filing for unemployment than any time in the state’s history.

— The Senate unanimously passed a massive coronavirus aid plan. Here’s what kind of payment you can expect from the relief package.

— A top official at Maine’s biggest health care system said guidelines teased by President Donald Trump on Thursday to rate counties by risk of coronavirus spread could promote a false sense of security as reported cases continue to rise.

— Gov. Janet Mills said Thursday that Maine will follow the federal government to extend the deadline to file income taxes from April 15 to July 15 due to the coronavirus outbreak.

— Mainers also have another year before they need a Real ID-compliant driver’s license.

— South Portland said that residents must stay at home, following similar restrictions imposed by the city of Portland earlier this week.

— Several coastal state parks have closed due to overcrowding amid the coronavirus outbreak.

— Maine’s nursing facilities that have been hit with unexpected costs from the coronavirus pandemic can apply for a reimbursement from the state.

— The state’s lucrative baby eel fishing season will get underway on Monday after an eight-day delay, with new provisions designed to limit the spread of the new coronavirus among fishermen.

— An employee at the Winterport Freshies gas station and convenience store tested positive for COVID-19.

— This map shows how travel plummeted in Maine after the first coronavirus case.

— A critical need for protective gear throws some Maine manufacturers a lifeline.

— Concord Coach Lines said it will suspend bus service throughout New England on Saturday after a former passenger tested positive for the coronavirus.

— This man is performing doorway puppet shows during the coronavirus, inspired by his son who cannot speak.

— More Mainers are heading to food pantries and soup kitchens as nonessential businesses are required to close their doors and workers are furloughed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

— This is how snow-day learning prepared a Maine school district for the COVID-19 pandemic.

— Authorities say ‘snowbirds’ should stay put where they are, if they can, rather than return to Maine.

— As health officials clamp down on social interactions to contain the coronavirus, some seniors who lead active lives find the restrictions are taking a toll.

— Struggling with social distancing? Here are tips from Maine’s homesteaders how to do it.

— Don’t worry, it’s still safe to spend time outdoors, as long as you practice social distancing.

— The potential Olympic futures of some top Maine swimmers is suddenly up in the air after the recent announcement by the International Olympic Committee that the 2020 Tokyo summer games have been postponed because of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

— What questions are on your mind about COVID-19? We’ll do our best to answer

— The Maine CDC set up a coronavirus hotline. The hotline is available by calling 211 or 866-811-5695. It can also be reached by texting your zip code to 207-898-211 or emailing info@211maine.org.

— Throughout the rest of New England, Massachusetts has 2,417 confirmed cases and 25 deaths, Connecticut has 1,012 cases and 21 deaths, Vermont has 158 confirmed cases and nine deaths, New Hampshire has 137 cases and one death, and Rhode Island has 132 confirmed cases.

— Nationwide, there are 81,578 cases and 1,180 deaths from the coronavirus, according to The New York Times.