The Maine CDC held a press conference today where it was announced that Maine's number of positive and presumptive positive cases of the coronavirus are now at 17, an increase of 5 since Sunday.

Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah broke the news late Monday morning at the press conference and added that there have been 764 negative tests.

If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, including a runny nose, sore throat, dry cough, fever and in severe cases, difficulty breathing, the Maine CDC says you should call your doctor before going in so that they can prepare for your arrival.

As of Monday, most schools in Maine have closed as well as L.L. Bean, Oxford Casino Hotel and other large retailers in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Many restaurants are offering curbside takeout, and fast food restaurants like Burger King on Forest Avenue in Portland have closed the restaurant and are operating the drive-thru only.

Social distancing is the key to flattening out the curve of the spread of the coronavirus. A low curve means that the virus is spreading slowly which gives doctors more time and resources to treat more people. The higher the curve, the most people get sick at once and medical facilities get overwhelmed.

Things are moving very quickly and we'll keep you updated as more news breaks.

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