Maine
Several Maine cities report COVID-19 wastewater levels among nation’s highest
A number of main Maine cities and cities noticed COVID-19 concentrations in wastewater that had been among the many highest within the nation prior to now week, with most counties seeing large will increase.
The state’s prime public well being official warned final week that wastewater information confirmed the virus was again on the rise right here. Reported COVID-19 infections have additionally surged this week, with the extra contagious model of the omicron variant accounting for many new instances.
The focus of the virus within the wastewater in websites throughout Maine continues to be decrease than when the state started often testing wastewater in late January, amid the primary omicron surge, in accordance with information from the Maine Heart for Illness Management and Prevention and Biobot. However the sharp rise in virus focus within the wastewater might point out a surge in instances that Maine might not be absolutely capturing on account of higher use of at-home testing.
Important jumps at a number of wastewater testing websites within the state prior to now week put them among the many worst when in comparison with U.S. websites utilizing the identical detection methodology proper now. Since April 7, wastewater testing websites in Bangor, Belfast, Brunswick, Calais, Fort Kent, Houlton, Machias, Lewiston and Westbrook have reported wastewater with virus concentrations within the highest 10 % nationally.
Virus concentrations stay decrease at different websites within the state, however most have nonetheless ticked upward in contrast to a couple weeks in the past.
Reported COVID-19 instances in Maine have additionally jumped 50 % prior to now week, with the seven-day common rising to 316 every day instances on Friday, up from 211 every week prior. Circumstances have additionally risen nationwide prior to now week, in accordance with the New York Occasions, however not as quickly.
Hospitalizations in Maine haven’t but seen an identical surge. As of Friday, 101 folks had been hospitalized with the virus in Maine, with 18 in essential care beds and 4 on ventilators.