Maine hospitals say they're seeing a dramatic increase in COVID-19 patients.
The state CDC is reporting 82 hospitalizations statewide, with half of those patients in critical care and 15 on ventilators.
During an appearance on Maine Calling on Monday, Dr. Dora Mills of MaineHealth said their hospital system is caring for 31 of those patients. Mills says they range from adolescents to older adults, and all are from rural areas.
"The vast majority are unvaccinated. I think out of 31 of our hospitalizations, 23 are unvaccinated. And the ones who are vaccinated who are hospitalized are elderly or people with a lot of underlying conditions or immune compromised," Mills said.
Dr. James Jarvis of Northern Light Health said they're seeing similar trends. He said we're in a "different pandemic" and is pleading for people to get vaccinated.
Jarvis said that in his health system, the percentage of COVID-19 tests coming back positive has surged to levels similar to last November and December.
"Our one week positivity rate is now 6.55%," he said. "We get alarmed when it goes above one percent. So this is much, much different.
