Maine has the lowest virus reproduction rate in the nation, but the state’s top public health official urges the public to remain vigilant and follow safe practices.
Maine reported 19 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday and no new deaths, continuing a trend that places Maine among the best in the country for low rates of COVID-19 prevalence despite increased testing.
There are several key metrics that public health experts look at to determine how well a state is controlling the coronavirus, and Maine is one of only four states to be in the “trending better” category, according to the Covid Exit Strategy website. The site is a nonpartisan effort by a group of public health experts with experience working in the public sector, including several U. S. presidential administrations.
The website looks at several factors, in addition to virus prevalence, to code states “green, trending better” to yellow, red and “bruised red” which means “uncontrolled spread.” The other states joining Maine in the “green” category are New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Seventeen states are in the “bruised red” category, including all of the Deep South, Texas, California, Arizona and Nevada.
Also, Maine has the lowest estimated virus reproductive rate in the country at 0.87, according to the rt.
