AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine recorded two more deaths from the new coronavirus, officials said Wednesday, as the governor’s new “stay-at-home” order is poised to go into effect.
The order by Gov. Janet Mills, which goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, prohibits Mainers from travelling outside of their homes for all but “essential personal activities.”
The two new deaths were both women in their 80s in Cumberland County, bringing that county’s toll to five, said Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control. Two other deaths were announced the day before in York and Kennebec counties. All told, more than 340 people have tested positive for the virus in Maine, he said.
Shah also announced Wednesday that the state is obtaining new testing kits from Abbott Laboratories to bolster the state lab’s testing capabilities.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.
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