New COVID-19 concerns are growing in Maine – WMTW Portland
The number of people in the hospital in Maine with COVID-19 continues to trend upward. On Monday, the Maine Center for Disease Control reported that 150 active cases are currently in the hospital. That was down slightly from 156 on Sunday, but Sunday’s report was the first time the number had reached 150 since March 5.That follows a larger trend with overall cases of COVID-19 spiking in the northeast U.S. Children are being hit especially hard. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association say 53,000 pediatric cases were reported last week, up 61% from two weeks ago.As of April 28, the Maine Department of Education reported that eight schools in Maine were in outbreak status for COVID-19. That means more than 15% of the school population was absent, the same standard used for other illnesses, like the flu.Rumford Elementary School was closed on Tuesday due to COVID-19 cases. Principal Jill Bartash wrote a letter to families Monday saying that 14 staff members had tested positive for COVID-19 since Thursday and others were out sick with symptoms. She said more staff members tested positive during the day, leaving them too short-staffed to open Tuesday.She also wrote that 13 students had tested positive, saying that it was “by far the highest number of sick staff and students” the school has had since the start of the pandemic.The school sent COVID-19 test kits home with all students on Monday and the hope was to reopen the school on Wednesday.
The number of people in the hospital in Maine with COVID-19 continues to trend upward. On Monday, the Maine Center for Disease Control reported that 150 active cases are currently in the hospital. That was down slightly from 156 on Sunday, but Sunday’s report was the first time the number had reached 150 since March 5.
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That follows a larger trend with overall cases of COVID-19 spiking in the northeast U.S. Children are being hit especially hard. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association say 53,000 pediatric cases were reported last week, up 61% from two weeks ago.
As of April 28, the Maine Department of Education reported that eight schools in Maine were in outbreak status for COVID-19. That means more than 15% of the school population was absent, the same standard used for other illnesses, like the flu.
Rumford Elementary School was closed on Tuesday due to COVID-19 cases. Principal Jill Bartash wrote a letter to families Monday saying that 14 staff members had tested positive for COVID-19 since Thursday and others were out sick with symptoms. She said more staff members tested positive during the day, leaving them too short-staffed to open Tuesday.
She also wrote that 13 students had tested positive, saying that it was “by far the highest number of sick staff and students” the school has had since the start of the pandemic.
The school sent COVID-19 test kits home with all students on Monday and the hope was to reopen the school on Wednesday.
