The number of patients in the hospital with COVID-19 jumped up again on Thursday and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported 439 new cases and one additional death. 

There are now 107 people hospitalized in the state with the coronavirus, an increase of seven from Wednesday’s report. Eighteen patients are in critical condition and two patients are on ventilator care. 

A person in their 70s from Somerset County died, increasing the state’s death count to 2,278 since the pandemic began. The increase in COVID-19 cases announced Thursday brings the total number of cases since March of 2020 to 241,249.

The positivity rate of tests processed by the state went up Wednesday to 7.6%, according to figures available on Thursday. The statewide vaccination rate remains at just under 78%.