Franklin and Knox counties have been designated “yellow” by the Mills administration, as state agencies recommend that schools there move to “hybrid” learning and suspend sports and extracurriculars.
The counties join Somerset and Washington counties, which were designated yellow by the state last week. In a news release, the Mills administration says that case rates have climbed to 4.7 percent in Somerset and 3.3 percent in Washington County.
The “yellow” designation means that the counties have a moderate level of community transmission, and schools should look at limiting capacities within school buildings, among other precautions.
Meanwhile, Waldo County, which had been designated as “yellow,” was moved to green as case counts there decreased. However, state officials say they will continue to closely monitor the region, as well as Kennebec County, which has seen multiple outbreaks in recent days.
State agencies note that while cases in Cumberland County are also climbing, much of the increase is associated with an outbreak at the Maine Correctional Center, and the county’s positivity rate is still below the state average.
As of Thursday, the state had reported 160 cases related to schools in Maine over the last month.
