Maine reported nine new coronavirus cases and no additional deaths Tuesday afternoon, the lowest single-day case count in over a month.
Cumberland County and York County accounted for all of the new cases, reporting five cases and four cases, respectively, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control. Cases across the state since the pandemic began total 2,819.
Restaurants in Androscoggin, Cumberland, and York — the three hardest hit counties in the state — can voluntarily resume indoor dining with added safety protocols on Wednesday, Governor Janet Mills announced in a statement Monday. The decision comes after a plateau of cases and hospitalizations in each county in recent weeks. Previously, restaurants in the three counties could only offer outdoor dining, takeout, or delivery.
“Maine people and businesses have worked hard to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and the stabilization of cases and hospitalizations in York, Cumberland, and Androscoggin counties help demonstrate that,” Mills said in a statement. “But this pandemic is not over. As we reopen restaurants for indoor dining and other businesses in these areas, we remain vigilant.”
Several other businesses in Androscoggin, Cumberland, and York may begin reopening Wednesday, state officials said. These include outdoor bars and breweries, along with gyms, nail salons, and tattoo parlors. All businesses that reopen must adhere to recommended health and safety protocols.
“If we continue to protect ourselves and one another by taking these steps, we can reopen our economy in a safe way and limit the spread of this dangerous virus,” Mills said in a statement.
Virus-related deaths across the state remained at 101, officials said. Only one death has been reported in the state within a week.
Cumberland County has reported the most virus-related deaths, with 57, officials said. Waldo County trails with 14 deaths, followed by York with 11 deaths, Kennebec with nine, Androscoggin with four, and Penobscot with two. Knox, Aroostook, Franklin, and Hancock have each reported one death.
Cases across the three counties have tapered off in recent weeks, state officials said. Both Androscoggin and Cumberland saw a steady increase in cases since early May, with Androscoggin reporting about 10 new cases daily and Cumberland reporting about 20 new cases daily. York has averaged between five and seven new cases daily.
“We’ll continue to monitor the data closely,” said Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine CDC. “Maine people have limited potential spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 by being responsible... and we trust that high level of responsibility will continue as restaurants throughout the state reopen.”
A rollback of the loosened restrictions may happen if there is an uptick in cases or hospitalizations associated with the reopening process, state officials said.
As of Tuesday, 73,071 coronavirus tests have been completed, officials said.
Another 44 people recovered from the illness since Monday afternoon, officials said. A total of 2,233 people have recovered since contracting the virus.
Four more people were hospitalized, bringing total hospitalizations to 321 patients, officials said. Currently, 30 people are hospitalized, with 10 in critical care and six on ventilators.
There are 160 ICU beds and 257 ventilators available for use across the state, officials said.
Matt Berg can be reached at matthew.berg@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @mattberg33.