Carrie Jones

Jan 03, 2026

The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Acadia Shops.

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MOUNT DESERT ISLAND—Earlier this week, the Mount Desert Island Hospital said it was “seeing an increase in Influenza A (flu) cases in our community over the past several weeks.”

The hospital said a few precautions can help reduce people’s risk of illness and decrease the spread of the virus.

“Be aware of symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, or fatigue,” it stated. “Stay home and avoid close contact with others if you are feeling unwell. Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands often with soap and water. Cover your coughs and sneezes and consider wearing a mask if you are sick or around others who may be vulnerable.”

According to the Maine Center for Disease Control, there have been seven deaths because of the flu or pneumonia this season. There have been 154 positive labs for Influenza A (27 for H1N1, and 126 for H3N3), and 3 for Influenza B.

“The holidays are a time for togetherness, and we want everyone to stay healthy,” said Dr. Puthiery Va, director of the Maine CDC. “Getting a flu shot is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect yourself and your loved ones against infections and lessen your symptoms if you get the flu. It’s not too late to take this step today for a safer, healthier season.”

In a typical season there is approximately somewhere between 3 and 11 percent of people in the country who get ill with the flu.

The H3N2, has mutated at least seven times this summer, which has decreased the flu shot’s effectiveness this year and the mutations also likely allow the virus better chances of evading the systems bodies have to fight illnesses. Vaccination is still expected to reduce the risk of hospitalizations.

So far, in Hancock County there have been 48 positive labs and five hospitalizations from influenza this year.

The federal Center for Disease Control currently considers Maine to be a high activity rate for influenza.

According to the state, “People with flu often experience fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, joint aches, and fatigue. Certain groups, including older adults, young children, those with certain chronic medical conditions, and pregnant people face a higher risk of developing severe illness and hospitalization.”

A typical flu season is from October through May. The worst weeks tend to be in January and/or February. This year’s Influenza A, H3N2, tends to cause more severe sickness.

Zach Lanning of the Mount Desert Islander quotes two health care providers in the MDI region as saying that Maine has more severe cases this year and earlier than is typical in the season.

Last year was considered a severe flu season. This year’s state numbers are trending at the mid January 2025 numbers for total hospitalizations and deaths. Many are reporting fever, headaches, and body aches. Those who are ill might not have the flu, but instead have COVID or RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).

COVID cases in Hancock County are also occurring. There is a 12.3% hospitalization rate and a overall rate of 56 cases per 10,000 Hancock County residents. There have been 383 cases in 2025 (confirmed and probably) with six deaths and 38 hospitalizations.

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LINKS TO LEARN MORE

To learn more about the flu, click here.

To learn more about RSV, click here.

To learn more about COVID, click here.

Questions about influenza?

Call Maine CDC at 1-800-821-5821 or send an email to influenza.dhhs@maine.gov.

For more information about the flu and prevention tips, please visit https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/diseases-conditions/respiratory-illnesses/influenza-novel.