STATEWIDE – According to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of statewide positive COVID-19 cases has jumped to 211.
On Saturday, 43 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Maine making it the largest one day increase so far.
Cumberland County had the biggest increase with 28 new cases.
From March 27 to March 28, cases in Penobscot County nearly doubled to 10 total.
“This increase is concerning. It is, however, consistent with the anticipated increase in cases as the spread of COVID-19 continues both in terms of number, as well as geography,” said Dr. Nirav Shah, the director of the Maine CDC.
In a media briefing Saturday, Shah outlined possible reasons for the large jump in confirmed cases, citing an increase in testing capacity statewide and the spread of the virus.
“We’ve also detected actual and confirmed community transmission in an expanding number of counties. Initially Cumberland, now York. So that’s not an artifact of testing,” Shah said.
“That is actual community-level transmission which simultaneously tells us that the virus is spreading largely on its own,” he said.
Of the 211 cases, Shah said at least three dozen of those are healthcare workers who have tested positive.
“I think it’s important that we realize that healthcare workers cannot do that. As millions of people are staying home, healthcare workers are in fact doing the opposite,” Shah said.
“They are going to work while many are staying home and for that, I commend them for their continue diligence and their continue heroism,” he said.
No new counties reported any confirmed cases as of Saturday.
