(AP) The Maine CDC reported 217 additional cases of COVID-19 and no new deaths Wednesday. The U.S. CDC says that most counties in Maine are the site of high or substantial transmission of coronavirus.
The state is recommending indoor mask use in those counties.
The only counties in the state with lower, moderate levels of transmission were Franklin, Kennebec and Sagadahoc counties, the CDC said.
“In consideration of the increased circulation of the COVID-19 delta variant throughout Maine and the nation, and the fact that this new variant is more contagious than other COVID-19 strains, we’re asking that people take extra precautions by wearing a mask inside during this time in order to protect our community,” Portland Mayor Kate Snyder said.
Statewide, cases are increasing. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Maine has risen over the past two weeks from 64.29 new cases per day on July 26 to 158.17 new cases per day on Aug. 9.
The AP is using data collected by Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering to measure outbreak caseloads and deaths across the United States.
