Leaders from Maine's two largest health systems say they're seeing record high percentages of coronavirus tests coming back positive.
Dr. James Jarvis of Northern Light Health says the positivity rate for all tests done across its system is 11.5%. Dr. Dora Mills says MaineHealth's rate is more than 10%.
"That's a very high rate of test positivity, and very concerning," Mills says.
Mills says the majority of COVID-19 patients who are hospitalized continue to be unvaccinated and from rural areas of the state. She urges those who want to support exhausted hospital staff to encourage others to get vaccinated and wear masks.
Across the state, 194 people are hospitalized with COVID-19. Forty are on ventilators — nearly triple the number a month ago.
"As many as between 25% and 50% of individuals [are] requiring intensive care," Jarvis said. "Again, we never saw that at any other time during the pandemic."
