When Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah was asked in Tuesday's CDC briefing where he sees us in the next three to six months with the COVID-19 pandemic, he cited a concern he has in the next 10 to 12 days.

"We've seen both with Memorial Day and then again with the Fourth of July, that COVID-19 loves holidays, and after both of those prior holidays, there were upticks (in COVID cases) across the country," Shah said. "So that's a very immediate concern I share with my colleagues both here in Maine and across the country."

The latest numbers released Tuesday by the Maine CDC, show that the cumulative number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Maine is now at 4,713, an increase of 12 since Monday. 4,244 of those cases are confirmed while 469 are deemed probable.

There were no new deaths reported of an individual with COVID-19, keeping the total at 134. 429 patients have had to be hospitalized at some point. 7 are currently hospitalized with 6 in critical care and 2 patients are on ventilators.

4,086 people diagnosed with COVID-19 have recovered, an increase of 10 since Monday. The total number of diagnosed active cases of COVID-19 is 493, an increase of 2 since Monday. The cumulative number of COVID-19 negative tests is 308,707 with a 14-day positivity rate of 0.6%.

The Maine CDC has determined that there are 158 cases of COVID-19 and three deaths of an individual with COVID-19 associated with a wedding with around 65 guests at the Big Moose Inn in Millinocket on August 7. That wedding reception outbreak is linked to an outbreak at the York County Jail where 82 cases have been reported.

Governor Mills has extended the State of Emergency in Maine through October 1, allowing Maine to continue to receive federal funding and use available resources to respond to COVID-19.

An executive order remains in place requiring large retail stores, lodging, restaurants, outdoor bars and tasting rooms in coastal counties and Maine's largest cities to enforce the state's face covering requirement.

The counties where businesses are be required to enforce the face covering requirement are Hancock, Waldo, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Cumberland and York as well as the more populated inland cities Bangor/Brewer and Lewiston/Auburn.

If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, including a runny nose, sore throat, dry cough, fever and in severe cases, difficulty breathing, the Maine CDC says you should call your doctor before going in so that they can prepare for your arrival. The Maine CDC continues to update with new information daily. Keep checking on our mobile app or website to get the latest.

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