Maine News Updates

Updated at 1:22 p.m.

AUGUSTA -- Maine's public health director says swine flu's been confirmed in all 16 of the state's counties and vaccination clinics are continuing in scores of schools.

Dora Anne Mills of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said in her weekly H1N1 update today that there is no part of Maine that's unaffected by the disease.

Mills also said at least 25 schools across the state are reporting absentee rates of 15 percent or more due to swine flu. Several Mainers have also been hospitalized with swine flu.

Mills said the state continues to see H1N1 vaccines trickling into the state.

She says that by Friday, the state will have received 139,000 doses of swine flu vaccine. That's enough for only one in five people in high-priority groups.

7:56 a.m.

BANGOR  — Maine health officials say more than 20 schools across the state are reporting absentee rates of more than 15 percent because of the H1N1 swine flu.

Officials say affected schools are in all corners of Maine.

Dr. Dora Anne Mills of the Maine Centers for Disease Control says the flu is spreading fast.

Old Town School Superintendent David Walker says one district school is reporting 24 percent of its students are out.

Walker tells the Bangor Daily News officials are seeing what he calls "some level of fear," which is prompting some parents to keep their healthy children home.

Mills says many schools are hosting immunization clinics, although demand for the vaccine is still greater than the supply.