Coronavirus claims state's first fatality as case count rises - Press Herald

A Cumberland County man in his 80s was the first person in Maine to die from the coronavirus.

The Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention announced the death on Friday ahead of its daily media briefing. In a post to its website Thursday morning, the agency said Maine now has 168 cases of coronavirus, 13 cases more than Wednesday, and that 3,394 people have tested negative. Twenty-four people have recovered and been released from isolation.

“This is a sad day for the State of Maine. I know I join countless people in extending my condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time,” Gov. Janet Mills said in a statement. “Our state is a family. And while we mourn the loss of a member of our Maine family today, I find strength and solace in knowing that we will support one another and that, together, we will get through this.”

Mills joined CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah at Friday’s briefing.

“I know you are grieving,” Mills said at the briefing, addressing the family of the deceased person. “You are not alone.”

She repeated her call for social distancing and other steps to protect the public from exposures, saying the situation may get worse but that Mainers should act wisely and support each other through the pandemic.

Officials said the man tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, but would not release additional details, citing privacy laws.

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The news conference begins at minute 23:16 in the above video.

The case count in Cumberland County stood at 92 Thursday morning, with 33 cases in York County. Those are the only counties where the CDC has said community spread is occurring, in which the virus is transmitted without a connection to a known individual.

Nine other counties have case numbers in the single digits. Aroostook, Hancock, Washington, Piscataquis and Somerset counties have no confirmed cases.

Shah said the state needs additional supplies and stocks of personal protective equipment from the Strategic National Stockpile. Maine has received two shipments from the stockpile, but that is not enough, he said.

Discussing critical health care equipment for treating serious cases of coronavirus, Shah said there are 86 of 164 intensive care beds available, and 247 of 308 ventilators available.

The state has received additional supplies of chemicals for testing, enough to test 3,000 patients, he said, but more will be needed as case numbers rise.

Addressing the question of when the pandemic will end, Shah said “The virus sets its own timetable.” He said steps to disrupt the flow of the virus, such as social distancing, will be a critical factor. And he urged Mainers to stay connected and kind, even as they practice physical distancing.

This story will be updated

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