26 New Positive Tests In New Hampshire: COVID-19 Update

CONCORD, NH — Twenty-six more New Hampshire residents have contracted the new coronavirus, the State Joint Information Center announced Friday.

Two of the newly infected are children with a 50-50 split between genders. Eight of the new cases live in Hillsborough County outside of Manchester and Nashua while six live in Manchester and four reside in Nashua. Four cases live in Rockingham County and one lives in Merrimack County.

According to the latest figures, 6,165 people have contracted the virus in the state but 5,188 or 84 percent of all cases have recovered from the sickness.

Two of the new patients required hospitalization bringing the total count of infected parties needing expanded care to 670 or 11 percent of all infections. Twenty-four people are still in the hospital.

The state said Friday that seven of the new cases had no identified risk factors. Most of the other cases contracted the virus from either traveling or due to being in contact with a confirmed case.

About 167,700 specimens have been collected since late January with more than 96.3 percent of the tests coming back negative. New Hampshire collected 3,076 polymerase chain reaction tests and 192 antibody laboratory tests Thursday.

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Around 3,525 Granite Staters are under public health monitoring.

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.

ALSO READ:

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• Another New Hampshire Woman Dies; 27 More Infected With COVID-19
• Governor: DeVos Did Not Write New Hampshire School Reopening Plan
• 2 Die; 24 More Infected With COVID-19 In New Hampshire: Update
• COVID-19 Recoveries Reach 84% In New Hampshire: Update

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