| The BDN is making the most crucial coverage of the coronavirus pandemic and its economic impact in Maine free for all readers. Click here for all coronavirus stories. You can join others committed to safeguarding this vital public service by purchasing a subscription or donating directly to the newsroom. Thirty-six more cases of the new coronavirus have been detected in Maine, health officials said Saturday. There have now been 2,757 cases across all of Maine’s counties since the outbreak began here in March, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s up from 2,721 on Friday. [Our COVID-19 tracker contains the most recent information on Maine cases by county] The statewide death toll still stands at 100.. Here’s a roundup of the latest news on the coronavirus and its impact on Maine. “Several indicators of the spread of the coronavirus suggest that the deadly virus has declined in Maine over the past few weeks, although it is still too early to say whether recent large public gatherings might lead to an uptick in cases.” — Jessica Piper, BDN “New data on crossings from Canada into the United States through Aroostook County states plainly what County residents already know — the COVID-19 pandemic has all but severed connections between the region and its Canadian neighbors that each has taken for granted for decades.” — David Marino Jr., The Star-Herald — “About two weeks into Penobscot County restaurants being allowed to reopen for dine-in service after a nearly three-month closure due to the pandemic, many restaurateurs find themselves surprised by the positive response from customers as they adapt to a new normal. They nevertheless plan to take things slow when it comes to getting back to normal.” — Emily Burnham, BDN — “Maine is advising schools districts across the state to prepare for in-person, remote and blended learning models for the fall, with protocols in place to respond to potential coronavirus cases if they arise, according to a draft plan released by the Maine Department of Education,” — Jessica Piper, BDN — “Like thousands of other veterans and elderly people in nursing homes around the country, [Robert] Fleury was isolated from his family and friends when he died at 94 from the coronavirus.” — Patrick Whittle, The Associated Press — “Canada recently made changes that loosened restrictions for cross-border visits. But for some families living on Maine’s border, the changes don’t seem to amount to much.” — Alexander MacDougall, Houlton Pioneer Times — “Take the stairs, not the elevator, down from your hotel room. Encourage people to bring their own food and drinks to your cookout. Use hand sanitizer after banking at an ATM. Call ahead to restaurants and nail salons to make sure staff are wearing face coverings. And no high-fives — or even elbow bumps — at the gym. These are some of the tips in long-awaited guidance from U.S. health officials about how to reduce risk of coronavirus infection for Americans who are attempting some semblance of normal life.” — Mike Stobbe, The Associated Press — Watch: “The Rev. Frank Murray talks about how the in-person Mass differed from months of virtual meeting outside St. Mary’s Catholic Church on June 1, 2020.” — Natalie Williams, BDN As of Sunday morning, the coronavirus has sickened 2,074,526 people in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as caused 115,436 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University of Medicine. Elsewhere in New England, there have been 7,576 coronavirus deaths in Massachusetts, 4,186 in Connecticut, 833 in Rhode Island, 318 in New Hampshire and 55 in Vermont.
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