Another 31 coronavirus cases have been reported in Maine, health officials said Thursday.
Thursday’s report brings the cumulative total of coronavirus cases across the state to 4,760. Of those, 4,287 have been confirmed positive, while 473 were classified as “probable cases,” according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
New cases were reported in Androscoggin (4), Cumberland (2), Kennebec (1), Penobscot (1), Somerset (4) and York (14) counties, state data show. Information about where additional cases were reported wasn’t immediately available.
No new deaths were reported Thursday, leaving the statewide death toll at 134. Nearly all deaths have been in Mainers over age 60.
Here’s the latest on the coronavirus and its impact in Maine:
— “U.S. Sen. Angus King took to Twitter on Thursday to slam President Donald Trump for downplaying the coronavirus publicly despite knowing how fast-spreading and lethal COVID-19 could be.” — Nick Sambides Jr., BDN
— “The Maine Principals’ Association, after a week of discussions with several state agencies and education groups, on Thursday released its revised guidance for a return to competitive interscholastic athletics during the fall season.” — Pete Warner, BDN
— “On Thursday, the Hockey Commissioners Association, which represents the 11 NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hockey conferences, announced that the season will be delayed due to the impact COVID-19 continues to have across the country and within higher education.” — Larry Mahoney, BDN
— “A scaled-back GOP coronavirus rescue package appears certain to fail in a Senate test vote Thursday as the bipartisan spirit that powered earlier relief bills has given way to election-season political combat and name-calling. The vote is likely to end hopes for coronavirus relief before the November election.” — Andrew Taylor and Lisa Mascaro, The Associated Press
— “Mainers filed 2,800 jobless claims for the week of Aug. 30 to Sept. 5, according to data released Thursday by the Maine Department of Labor. Of those, 1,100 were for traditional state benefits and 1,700 were for benefits under Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, a federal program Congress approved in late March as part of a coronavirus-relief package.” — Christopher Burns, BDN
— “The attorney for an evangelical church in Orrington that sued Gov. Janet Mills’ administration over its early COVID-19 restrictions was back in court Wednesday to argue for an appeal of the case.” — Charlie Eichacker, BDN
As of Thursday evening, the coronavirus had sickened 6,394,655 people in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as caused 191,702 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University of Medicine.