During its daily update on Tuesday, March 17, Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the state now has 23 confirmed cases if the 2019 novel coronavirus, and nine presumptive positives, bringing the likely known total to 32. Maine discovered its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on Thursday, March 12.

Tests for 1,303 people have come back negative.

Cumberland County has 17 of the 32 confirmed and presumptive cases, and Androscoggin County has three. Cases are also confirmed in Lincoln, York, Oxford, Kennebec and Knox counties. The CDC does not list a county of residence for six of the cases.  

In Washington County, schools have announced an end to classroom instruction for varied periods of time, beginning Monday, March 16. Pat's Pizza in Machias announced they will close their dining room effective Wednesday, March 18, but will continue to offer take out. The Machias public library, Porter Memorial Library, has also closed until further notice, and many local churches are reconsidering their Sunday services. The University of Maine at Machias has asked residential students to leave campus by March 22. All UMM classes will move to distance learning modalities, as possible. 

The CDC updates Maine's coronavirus cases daily at approximately noon and posts the information here:https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/airborne/coronavirus.shtml