Download Maine CDC Wastewater Testing Reports

People infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 may shed it in the water that flows from their homes to public wastewater systems. This happens whether they have symptoms or not. Communities can track virus activity by looking for viral RNA in wastewater. Wastewater, or sewage, includes water that may contain human waste (toilets, showers, sinks). It also includes water from some other sources (rainwater, water for industrial use). To better understand the burden of COVID-19 in a community, Maine CDC and US CDC test wastewater for the virus. This helps to tailor public health actions to protect communities across the state.

Find these data on the US CDC COVID Data Tracker. Data will be added to the Data Tracker as they become available.

Maine CDC updates these data weekly. Data will not be updated on holidays.

Download a csv file with the latest hospital capacity information.

COVID-19 cases among individuals who have been fully vaccinated are referred to as vaccine breakthrough cases. Hospitalizations and deaths among these cases are referred to as vaccine breakthrough hospitalizations and deaths. A person is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after completing a primary COVID-19 vaccine series (e.g., 2 doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or 1 dose of the J&J vaccine). COVID-19 vaccines authorized or approved by the U.S. FDA are extremely safe and effective and prevent many infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. However, these vaccines are not 100% effective, and vaccine breakthrough cases are expected. Studies elsewhere in the U.S. have found that people who have COVID-19 infection after vaccination are far less likely to have severe disease (including hospitalization and death) than people who were not vaccinated. Additional and booster doses, when recommended, provide additional protection against infection, hospitalization, and death, and are not reflected in the figures shown here. More information about COVID-19 infections after vaccination can be found on the federal CDC website.

Find information on where to get vaccinated in Maine here.

Maine CDC updates these data weekly.

Maine CDC no longer shows the table of cumulative breakthrough data as of February 14, 2023. By now, 83.4% of the state’s total population has finished their primary series of vaccine. So, “breakthrough” cases of COVID are no longer a helpful way to know the burden of disease. Staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines is the best way to prevent the most severe impacts of COVID-19. This includes protecting you from hospitalization and death.

Maine CDC sends some of each week's positive SARS-CoV-2 test samples for genome sequencing to monitor for variants. More information on variants can be found on the federal CDC website.

Download the most recent COVID-19 Genome Sequencing Report (PDF)

Maine CDC updates these data as new reports are available.
Updated May 8, 2023 at 12:39 PM.

Download a PDF of data about COVID-19 and Youth in Maine (PDF)

Maine CDC updates these data as new reports are available.
Updated April 24, 2023 at 12:57 PM.

When are Data Updated? Case data are updated weekly on Tuesdays. Other data sources may have different update schedules.

Who is Included in the Data? Data are about individuals who claim residency in Maine regardless of what state they were tested in, or where they are currently living. For example, an individual who claims residency in Maine but lives in Florida will appear in this data even if they were living in Florida at the time of illness. County listings are by residence of patient, not location of the hospital or testing location.

What are Confirmed Cases? This represents the number of persons in whom SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected using a molecular amplification test (e.g. PCR) from any approved lab.

What are Probable Cases? This represents the number of persons in whom SARS-CoV-2 specific antigen was detected using a diagnostic test performed by a CLIA-certified provider. This excludes at-home, self-collected antigen tests. Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) case definitions have changed over time. Find past CSTE case definitions here.

What is an Indeterminate Test? Indeterminate means that the test did not provide a clear negative or positive result.

What is Included in Deaths? On January 1, 2023, Maine CDC changed its definition of COVID-associated deaths to match new standards set by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) and US CDC. Maine CDC will apply this new definition for all COVID-associated deaths occurring on and after January 1, 2023. Under the new definition, a COVID-associated death is defined as a death in which:

• The death certificate indicates COVID-19 or an equivalent term as an immediate, underlying or contributing cause of death, OR
• A case investigation for a confirmed, probable, or suspect SARS-CoV-2 infection case determined that COVID-19 was the cause of death or contributed to the death.

What are Some Limitations? Confirmed data represent only those individuals with positive test results from an approved lab or provider and excludes at-home, self-collected antigen tests, which likely under-represents the true number of cases in Maine. All data are preliminary and may change as Maine CDC investigates cases.