COVID-19 hospitalizations dip slightly
Jun. 18—The number of Mainers hospitalized with COVID-19 went down slightly, the state reported Saturday.
There are 136 people hospitalized in Maine with the virus according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. On Friday, the state reported 138 Mainers in hospitals with coronavirus.
Of those 136 hospitalized, 23 are in critical care units and six on ventilators.
The state also reported 307 new cases of the virus Saturday with no additional deaths. Officials note the case number is underreported since many who take home tests do not report them.
In the past week the state has seen virtually no change in case counts or hospitalizations. Federal data released Thursday show no change in community levels or safety advice for Maine's 16 counties, with all of Maine now classified as medium or low risk of community spread.
Maine has among the highest percentage of fully vaccinated residents, now 74.45 percent. That number will likely climb higher with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorizing vaccines for children ages of 6 months and up.
In Maine, shots are expected to begin being administered to preschoolers next week.
The Maine CDC expects 24,200 vaccine doses to arrive next week and be sent to hospitals and medical offices right away. The first shipment will be split between the two the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.
There are an estimated 60,000 Maine children between ages of 6 months and 5 years. Maine ranks near the top nationally for vaccinations and boosters among older children and adults, according to Robert Long of the Maine CDC.
Since the pandemic began, Maine has officially recorded 267,707 cases and 2,408 deaths.
