Three More COVID-19 Deaths in Aroostook County, Eight in Maine

The Maine Center for Disease Control on Friday reported another 506 coronavirus cases and eight more deaths in the state. Aroostook County recorded three deaths, two more hospitalizations and 31 new infections.

The number of patients in intensive care units in Maine has reached the highest point since the start of pandemic. Currently, there are 193 people receiving treatment for COVID-19 in hospitals across the state with 74 patients in critical care beds and 38 on ventilators. CDC director Dr. Nirav Shah said case numbers are expected to remain high in the coming days as his office works through a backlog of more than 2,000 positive lab results.

According to the latest data, Aroostook and Piscataquis Counties in northern Maine have seen more cases per capita in the past two weeks than most areas of the country. There are an estimated 452 active cases in Aroostook County, as of Thursday.

Just over one-third of Maine residents are not yet vaccinated, including children under the age of 12. The state's vaccination dashboard shows 64.8% of Maine's total population is vaccinated against COVID-19. Aroostook County's overall rate is lower, at 57.6%.

New Brunswick Update

New Brunswick Public Health reported 17 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, including four in the Edmundston region. Active cases rose to 121 in the province, with six people in hospital. The Government of New Brunswick is considering a provincial vaccine passport as an option for controlling the spread of COVID-19.  Department of Health spokesperson Gail Harding said the priority is to create a standardized and versatile vaccination passport or record of immunization for New Brunswickers who need to travel.