
STATEWIDE (WGME) -- COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations appear to be on the rise again in Maine.
According to the CDC, Maine now has the highest infection rate in the country.
The CDC says new sub-variants of the omicron strain are largely driving this new surge. Those new variants account for 80 percent of the new infections in Maine.
"BA.4, BA.5 and others related to the earlier Omicron variants are continuing to sweep across the country and across Maine," State Epidemiologist Dr. Isaac Benowitz said. "We are still seeing cases and we are still seeing hospitalizations. "
The state reported 372 cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days. That’s about three times higher than the national average of 130 cases.
The Maine CDC reports the number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus grew to 169 on Wednesday, the highest number in Maine in months.
Just two weeks ago, only 100 people were in the hospital with COVID.
The state says that increase shows the pandemic is not yet behind us and Mainers should continue to keep their guard up.
"I think it makes sense to take precautions when COVID is around and when there's more of it around," Benowitz said. "We've gotten quite good at these precautions over the past few years but what we've gotten a little less good at is actually using them when we know that we need them."
About three-quarters of the state is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and 90 percent of people aged 60 and older are vaccinated.
But the rate of vaccination has slowed.
Out of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 since vaccines became widely available, about 67 percent were not vaccinated.
While experts say the COVID-19 vaccines remain the first defense against COVID-19, they still encourage Mainers to have a plan for if they do get infected. They say to know where to get tested and how to find treatment so you can catch the virus early and hopefully prevent severe symptoms.
"We're treating more people week after week, not just because there are more cases but also because more people are aware of what they should do when they get sick," Benowitz said. "People should not make their decision to treat or not treat based on how severe their symptoms are. They should make the decision about whether or not to get treatment based on how severe their symptoms could be."
One of the treatments that's become more widely available in Maine is the antiviral pill Paxlovid. Benowitz says more and more pharmacies are now carrying the treatment in Maine and he encourages anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 to reach out to their doctor to see if it's the right fit for them.