2 More Elderly Women In New Hampshire Die: Coronavirus Update

CONCORD, NH — Two more elderly women connected to long-term care settings have died in New Hampshire due to the new coronavirus, according to state health officials.

The two women lived in Rockingham County. One was 80 years of age or older and the other was between 70 and 79. Their deaths bring the fatality count in the state to 438.

"We offer our sympathies to the family and friends," the State Joint Information Center said.

Thirty-four new positive test results for COVID-19 were also announced Tuesday including five children. Nearly 60 percent of the new infections were male. Nine of the cases reside in Rockingham County, six live in Manchester, five live in Hillsborough County outside of Manchester and Nashua, five live in Merrimack County, and one lives in Nashua.

The accumulative number of cases in New Hampshire have reached 7,748 with 7,022 of those cases or 91 percent recovering from the virus.

One of the new patients required hospitalization while nine are currently hospitalized.

Six of the cases had no identified risk factors.

"Community-based transmission continues to occur in the State and has been identified in all counties," the state said. "Of those with complete risk information, most of the cases have either had close contact with a person with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis or have recently traveled."

The state upgraded Sunday's collected polymerase chain reaction tests to 4,023 from 3,955 reported Monday. Another 2,877 PCR specimens were collected Monday with 232,458 Granite Staters being tested. More than 380,000 PCR tests have been administered in the state.

The three-day average percent positive rate is still around 1 to 1.5 percent.

On Monday, 35 antibody laboratory tests were collected in the state with 30,469 residents being tested for antibody lab tests.

Approximately 1,925 people are under public health monitoring.

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Stop The Spread Of COVID-19

The COVID-19 virus is spread through respiratory droplets, usually through coughing and sneezing, and exposure to others who are sick or might be showing symptoms.

Health officials emphasize residents should follow these recommendations:

• Avoid any domestic and international travel, especially on public transportation such as buses, trains, and airplanes.
• Practice social distancing. Stay at least 6 feet from other people, including distancing while in waiting areas or lines.
• When you can't practice 6 feet of social distancing, wear a face covering.
• Anyone who is told to self-quarantine and stay at home due to exposure to a person with confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 needs to stay home and not go out into public places.
• If you are 60 years or older or have chronic and underlying health conditions, you need to stay home and not go out.
• Avoid gatherings of 10 people or more.
• Employers should work from home as much as possible.
• There is increasing evidence that the virus can survive for hours or possibly days on surfaces. People should clean frequently touched surfaces, including door handles, grocery carts and grocery basket handles, etc.

Take the same precautions as you would if you were sick:

• Stay home and avoid public places.
• Wear a face covering.
• Cover mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing.
• Wash hands frequently.
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

More information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services about coronavirus can be found here on the department's website.

• Guidance to schools can be found can be found here.
• Instructions for returning travelers to self-observe for symptoms of COVID-19 are available are available here.
• For more information on COVID-19 in NH, visit its site here.
• For the latest information from the CDC, visit its site here.
• To access the state's COVID-19 data dashboard, click on this link here.
• To access the state's COVID-19 Interactive Map Dashboard, click on this link here.

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