Maine added 18 coronavirus deaths and 1,205 cases Friday as hospitalizations continued to fall, now at their lowest point since mid-October 2021. 

There are now 181 Mainers hospitalized with COVID-19, including 39 in critical care and 14 on ventilators. Hospitalizations fell below 200 this week for the first time since last fall, and critical patients are at their lowest point since August. The vaccination rate stands at just over 77%. 

The state has now seen 225,253 coronavirus cases and 2,042 resulting deaths since the pandemic began almost two years ago. The death toll topped 2,000 on Thursday. Maine recorded roughly as many deaths in the past five months as in the first 18 of the pandemic. 

The people most recently reported to have died include nine women and nine men. One was in their 30s, two in their 50s, four in their 60s, two in their 70s and nine above 80. Four each were from York and Penobscot counties, three from Androscoggin County, two from Kennebec County and the others from Cumberland, Aroostook, Knox, Lincoln and Sagadahoc counties. 

The state’s COVID-19 metrics are on an optimistic trend over the past two weeks compared to the past month. The latest report of that comparison shows a positive test rate of 6.3% in the past 14 days compared to 9% in the past 28 days, with almost 100 fewer people infected per 10,000. The state has investigated 38 outbreaks in the past month and 12 in the past two weeks.