Local Coronavirus COVID-19 Resource Center

Since the first testing for COVID-19 in Maine, information and important notices from community and state officials, business owners and educators have flowed to our inboxes at a rapid pace.

So, the Pilot established a resource page, a collection center for all the alerts and vital information our readers need to know.

Innovative solutions, before long, were brought to our attention, easing life for everyone as we moved through the unfamiliar sequestering days.

As Mainers line up to receive their vaccine doses and continue to figure out normalcy, we are sharing information about pandemic recovery as it rolls in.

The latest information will appear at the top of the page, and the top of the subsections appearing within the sidebar.

Stay healthy, keep your distance, wear a mask (or two), and keep your chin up!

LincolnHealth reports 21 cases Aug. 30-Sept. 5, staffing shortage woes

LincolnHealth reported 21 new cases out of 485 tests for the week of Aug. 30 to Sept. 5. Totals remain steady while the amount of testing has varied over the past several weeks resulting in percent-positives between 4.3% and 5.25%.

Director of Communications John Martins said the Delta variant continues its surge in Maine and breakthroughs – five of the 21 cases – represent nearly 30% of cases.

“Testing numbers rose … and with school being back in session, we anticipate that we…

Sept. 11 update: Midcoast adds 83 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Maine CDC conducts case investigations and contact tracing Monday through Friday. As a result, COVID-19 case data will be updated by 9:30 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Case data will not be updated Sunday and Monday or on holidays.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,425 cases, 38 hospitalizations and nine deaths. This data includes an increase of 15 new…

Sept. 10 update: Midcoast adds 86 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,410 cases, 38 hospitalizations and nine deaths. This data includes an increase of 12 new…

Weekly unemployment claims continue to decrease statewide

AUGUSTA — For the week ending September 4, the Maine Department of Labor recorded about 700 initial claims filed for state unemployment insurance, and 100 initial claims filed for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).

These numbers represent claim applications; claims are then reviewed for eligibility and legitimacy. In total, approximately 900 people were filing an initial claim or reopening their unemployment claim.

Overall, weekly unemployment claims continue to…

Sept. 9 update: Midcoast adds 77 new COVID-19 cases, two new deaths

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,398 cases, 38 hospitalizations and nine deaths. This data includes an increase of 15 new…

Sept. 8 update: Midcoast adds 34 new COVID-19 cases, two new deaths

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,383 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of seven…

Sept. 4 update: Midcoast adds 36 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,376 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of eight…

Sept. 3 update: Midcoast adds 74 new COVID-19 cases, one additional death

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,368 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of 22…

Weekly claims unemployment compensation hit lowest since March 2020

AUGUSTA — For the week ending August 28, the Maine Department of Labor recorded about 700 initial claims filed for state unemployment insurance, and 100 initial claims filed for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). These numbers represent claim applications; claims are then reviewed for eligibility and legitimacy. In total, approximately 900 people were filing an initial claim or reopening their unemployment claim.

Overall, weekly unemployment claims continue to decrease,…

Sept. 2 update: Midcoast adds 47 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,346 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of 10…

Sept. 1 update: Midcoast adds 21 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,336 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of seven…

Aug. 31 update: Midcoast adds 53 new COVID-19 cases since Saturday

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,329 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of 13…

Aug. 28 update: Midcoast adds 34 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,316 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of eight…

Aug. 27 update: Midcoast adds 24 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,308 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of eight…

Maine’s weekly unemployment claims continue to decrease

AUGUSTA — For the week ending August 21, the Maine Department of Labor recorded for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). These numbers represent claim applications; claims are then reviewed for eligibility and legitimacy.

In total, approximately 960 people were filing an initial claim or reopening their unemployment claim.

Overall, weekly unemployment claims continue to decrease, with about 200 fewer claims filed last week than the week before that. About 7,500…

Aug. 26 update: Midcoast adds 35 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,300 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of nine…

80% of eligible Mainers have received a COVID-19 vaccine dose

AUGUSTA — Governor Janet Mills announced Wednesday that 80 percent of all eligible people in Maine have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, achieving another milestone for the state as it continues to confront an increase in cases associated with the Delta variant.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC), 80.2 percent of eligible people in Maine age 12 and older have received a COVID-19 vaccination, one of eight states in the nation to…

Aug. 25 update: Midcoast adds 27 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,291 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of nine…

Aug. 24 update: Midcoast adds 24 new COVID-19 cases since Saturday

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,282 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of seven…

COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Burnham, Union this week

BURNHAM and UNION — There will be two COVID-19 vaccination clinics in the Midcoast this week, one in Waldo County and one in Knox County.

Appointments are not required at either location.

Waldo County

The Town of Burnham is sponsoring a free COVID-19 vaccination clinic Monday, Aug. 23 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Burnham Town Office located at 247 S. Horseback Road.

Pfizer shots will be available to…

helping prevent spread of the virus

UPDATED: Pen Bay Medical Center, Waldo County General Hospital adopt new visitation restrictions in response to local COVID-19 surge

Temporary modifications for Waldo County General Hospital have been added to the bottom of this article.

ROCKPORT and BELFAST — In response to the COVID-19 status in the community, Pen Bay Medical Center (PBMC) and Waldo County General Hospital (WCGH) are implementing increased visitor restrictions.

This is being done to help prevent spread of the virus. Infectious disease experts agree that measures to contain the virus are most effective early in its spread.

…

TSA extends face mask requirement through Jan. 18, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is extending the face mask requirement for individuals across all transportation networks throughout the United States, including at airports, onboard commercial aircraft, on over-the-road buses, and on commuter bus and rail systems through January 18, 2022.

On January 31, TSA announced …

Aug. 21 update: Midcoast adds 15 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,275 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of three…

Aug. 20 update: Midcoast adds 26 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,272 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of seven…

Sen. Angus King tests positive for COVID-19

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Office of U.S. Senator Angus King, I-Maine, said Aug. 19 that Sen. King tested positive for COVID-19 this morning in Maine. Senator King took the test as a precaution after he began feeling under the weather yesterday, according to a news release. Upon learning of his positive test, Senator King issued the following statement:

“Since COVID-19 first reached our shores last March, I have worked to follow the professional guidance and take all precautions necessary…

Aug. 19 update: Midcoast adds four new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,265 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes no changes since the…

‘We owe everything to the communities that have supported us...and that is why we are protecting our community’s safety’

Camden International Film Festival releases COVID-19 protocols for 2021 Festival

The 17th edition of the Camden International Film Festival, the Maine-based documentary event produced by the Points North Institute, will be an expanded hybrid festival, and the largest in person convening for the US-based documentary community since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Citing public health concerns, event organizers announced on August 11 that anyone age 12 or older attending the festival in person this year must be vaccinated against COVID-19, along with a number of…

Aug. 18 update: Midcoast adds 16 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,265 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of five…

Hope Town Office reopens for routine business Wednesday afternoon

The Town of Hope Office will reopen for routine business at noon, Wednesday, August 18, barring any further complications, according to a news release.

For this week, Hope will only be able to do routine items such as vehicle registrations and tax payments, the release said.

“f you have something else/complex, please wait until Tuesday, August 24, or after so that we may better assist you,” said the Hope Town Office. “We thank you for your understanding and patience as we…

Aug. 17 update: Midcoast adds 46 new COVID-19 cases since Saturday

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,260 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of six…

Gov. Mills in radio address: ‘Please, get your COVID-19 shot today. It’s critical.’

The following is a transcript of a radio address presented by Governor Janet Mills.

Earlier this week, I was pleased to announce that the State of Maine has achieved another vaccination milestone: 80 percent of adults in Maine have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. That’s everybody over the age of 18.

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for…

Aug. 14 update: Midcoast adds 27 new COVID-19 cases

UGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,254 cases, 37 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of seven…

Aug. 13 update: Midcoast adds 34 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,247 cases, 36 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of seven…

Hope Town Office closed until Aug 25, 2021

HOPE — The Hope Town Office will be closed until Wednesday, August 25, 2021 “as the result of someone who has been in the office between August 10-11 receiving a positive COVID result,” said the Hope Town Office, in a news release.

Maine requiring health care workers be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 1

AUGUSTA — The Mills Administration announced Thursday it will require health care workers in Maine to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect the health and lives of Maine people, safeguard Maine’s health care capacity, and limit the spread of the virus, according to a news release.

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), utilizing their authority under existing law to require certain vaccinations of people…

Maine DOL provides unemployment claims update

AUGUSTA — For the week ending August 7, the Maine Department of Labor recorded about 800 initial claims filed for state unemployment insurance, and 100 initial claims filed for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).

These numbers represent claim applications; claims are then reviewed for eligibility and legitimacy. In total, approximately 1,000 people were filing an initial claim or reopening their unemployment claim.

Overall unemployment continued claims continue to…

Aug. 12 update: Midcoast adds 29 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,240 cases, 36 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of eight…

Investigators believe COVID-19 cases at Belfast hospital acquired via community transmission, no shared links

BELFAST — Waldo County General Hospital believes the cases of COVID-19 at the medical facility share no links, and were acquired via the community. Furthermore, some of the staff who tested positive were already vaccinated, adding them to the stated’s list of breakthrough cases.

“Our internal detailed contact tracing to date indicates that the employee cases we have identified since July 26 do not share a common link,” said WCGH, in an Aug. 11 news release. “In most, if not all, of…

Aug. 11 update: Midcoast adds 40 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,232 cases, 36 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of 10…

Maine CDC investigates Waldo County General Hospital COVID-19 outbreak

BELFAST — Five cases of COVID-19 at Waldo County General Hospital have resulted in an outbreak investigation by Maine Centers for Disease Control. It is the only current COVID-19 outbreak investigation in Knox, Lincoln, and Waldo counties as of Aug. 10.

Earlier this month, the nonprofit MaineHealth, which owns WCGH, said that it will require that it will require COVID-19…

Aug. 10 update: Midcoast adds 49 new COVID-19 cases since Saturday

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,222 cases, 36 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of 10…

Maine awards $25 million in COVID relief support to hospitals, long-term care facilities

AUGUSTA — The Mills Administration announced Monday it is awarding $25 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds to 14 hospitals and 96 long-term care facilities to help health care organizations recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release.

The awards, which are being allocated by the Maine Departments of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and Health and Human Services (DHHS), use remaining funds from the Maine Health Care Financial Relief…

Maine Achieves Another Vaccination Milestone

80 percent of Mainers age 18 and older have received COVID-19 vaccine

AUGUSTA — Governor Janet Mills announced Monday that 80 percent of adults in Maine have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, achieving another milestone for the state as it continues to confront an increase in cases associated with the Delta variant.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC), 80.2 percent of adults (18+) in Maine have received a COVID-19 vaccination, one of six states in the nation to reach the milestone.

Maine is…

Aug. 7 update: Midcoast adds 27 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,212 cases, 36 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of two…

Aug. 6 update: Midcoast records 36 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,210 cases, 36 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of six…

City of Belfast requires mask wearing inside municipal buildings

According to the U.S. CDC, Waldo County has “high” levels of community transmission at this time, which means that individuals should wear face coverings in indoor public settings, regardless of vaccination status.

What does this mean for the City of Belfast?

All employees and visitors to all indoor City of Belfast facilities are required to wear masks regardless of vaccination status, the city said, Aug. 5.

…

800 initial claims filed for state unemployment insurance last week

AUGUSTA — For the week ending July 31, the Maine Department of Labor recorded about 800 initial claims filed for state unemployment insurance, and 100 initial claims filed for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). These numbers represent claim applications; claims are then reviewed for eligibility and legitimacy.

In total, approximately 1,000 people were filing an initial claim or reopening their unemployment claim.

Overall unemployment continued claims continue to…

Aug. 5 update: Midcoast adds 23 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,204 cases, 36 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of one…

Lincolnville couple isolate with breakthrough COVID, urge people to mask up

Christine and John Burstein are miserably sick this week, each with separate symptoms. Christine started with a massive head cold, and developed a deep, raspy cough. John’s stomach has been churning and he has been sleeping a lot. Both tested positive for COVID-19, despite being vaccinated in the late winter and early spring, and are suffering from what has become familiar part of every day conversations — the breakthrough cases.…

Aug. 4 update: Midcoast adds 19 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,203 cases, 36 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of one…

Aug. 3 update: Midcoast adds 48 new COVID-19 cases since Saturday

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,202 cases, 36 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of seven…

Gov. Mills: Preventing addiction, persevering through opioid epidemic, and achieving our full promise

The following is a transcript of a radio address presented by Governor Janet Mills:

The US CDC recently reported that more than 93,000 people died from drug overdoses nationwide last year, a staggering record reflecting the coronavirus pandemic’s toll on efforts to quell the opioid crisis and the continued spread of illegal fentanyl in the narcotic supply.

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills. Thank you for listening.

Here in Maine, the Attorney General’s Office…

UPDATED July 31 update: Midcoast adds nine new COVID-19 cases, one new death

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,195 cases, 36 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of two…

July 30 update: Midcoast adds 17 new COVID-19 cases

AUGUSTA — The Maine CDC has updated its list of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Maine.

Knox County, since March 2020, has recorded 1,193 cases, 36 hospitalizations and seven deaths. This data includes an increase of two…

900 initial claims filed for state unemployment insurance last week

AUGUSTA — For the week ending July 24, the Maine Department of Labor recorded about 900 initial claims filed for state unemployment insurance, and 100 initial claims filed for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). These numbers represent claim applications; claims are then reviewed for eligibility and legitimacy.

In total, approximately 1,200 people were filing an initial claim or reopening their unemployment claim.

Overall unemployment continued claims were down…

On Friday, March 13, 2020, residents were stocking up on groceries and other items, filling the roads and parking lots.

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