Health officials reported another 58 cases of the new coronavirus on Thursday with no additional deaths.
There have now been 1,877 cases across all of Maine’s counties since the outbreak began here in March, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s up from 1,819 on Wednesday where the state saw its largest single-day spike.
Of those, 1,678 have been confirmed positive, while 199 are likely positive, according to the Maine CDC.
No new deaths were reported Thursday, leaving the statewide death toll at 73.
Meanwhile, 1,145 people have fully recovered from the virus, meaning there are 659 active and likely cases in the state, according to the Maine CDC. That’s up from 636 on Wednesday.
Here’s the latest on the coronavirus and its impact on Maine.
—The federal government has awarded Maine $52.7 million to help it control the coronavirus pandemic by completing an expansion of its public health laboratory in Augusta, boosting laboratory capacity in the state’s rural hospitals and opening more satellite testing sites, according to the office of Gov. Janet Mills.
—For years, the world’s two largest producers of medical testing swabs — one based in rural Maine, the other in the foothills of the Italian Alps — have waged a series of transatlantic legal battles. But for now, both companies seem to be temporarily laying down their arms so they can focus on a much greater challenge: scaling up their production to meet the new demands of the coronavirus pandemic.
—The Maine Gambling Control Board on Tuesday gave final approval for residents to place bets on horse racing from anywhere in the state. Previously, racing fans were permitted to wager on horse racing only at a racetrack or off-track betting facility.
—After record sales last year that continued into early this year, Maine home sales are feeling the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, declining 15.41 percent in April compared to the previous April, according to figures released Thursday by Maine Listings.
— More than 11,500 Mainers filed for unemployment during the week ending May 16, bringing the total to more than 138,000 since March, according to the Maine Department of Labor.
—Rockland was the first city in the state to propose closing its main street to vehicular traffic for the summer to allow businesses and restaurants to sprawl onto the sidewalks to serve more customers under COVID-19 safety guidelines. While the proposal was progressive, it’s still uncertain as other Maine cities have forged ahead with similar plans.
—Between trying to manage your anxiety and the carbo-loaded quarantine baking trends, eating healthy might be the last thing on your mind. However, nutrition is perhaps more important now than ever given the central role that it plays in the immune system. If you’re looking to lay off the sourdough bread and bolster your immune system, here are 5 ways to eat healthier during the pandemic and beyond.
—In one of Maine’s tourist hot spots, there’s still a ray of hope for a successful summer. The town of Old Orchard and its businesses are experimenting together on some new tactics.
—As of early Thursday morning, the coronavirus has sickened 1,573,742 people in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as caused 94,566 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University of Medicine.
—Elsewhere in New England, there have been 6,148 coronavirus deaths in Massachusetts, 3,582 in Connecticut, 556 in Rhode Island, 190 in New Hampshire and 54 in Vermont.
Watch: Maine CDC coronavirus press conference, May 21
