54 New Positives In 3 New Hampshire Long-Term Care Facilities

CONCORD, NH — State health officials announced Wednesday that 73 new patients have tested positive for the new coronavirus and went out of their way to clarify the seemingly high number of test results for COVID-19.

For 10 days, the state has reported positive test results between 21 and 54, while testing between 1,300 and 3,100 people each day, showing a significant decline in results and percentage of positives. The jump in positives Wednesday were due to a specific reason: The retesting at long-term care facilities and state health officials went out of their way to explain.

"Approximately 75 percent of (the 73 tests) were associated with recurring testing of residents and staff at three long term care facilities experiencing an outbreak," the State Joint Information Center said. "Of the 73 new cases, 19 were not associated with a long-term care facility."

The new positives bring the total to 5,436 cases in New Hampshire since March 1. Of the new cases, two were children, 70 percent were women, and 30 percent men. Twenty-six reside in Manchester while 11 live in Nashua. Another 30 patients live in Hillsborough County outside of the state's two largest cities while four live in Rockingham County.

Ten of the new patients required hospitalization but currently hospitalizations dipped to 56 — the lowest in many weeks.

Four of the new cases have no identified risk factors meaning that they did not contract the virus from an outbreak, travel, or by being in contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19.

Three women and one man, all residents of Hillsborough County, also died due to the new coronavirus. All four were connected to long-term care facilities, according to the state's data dashboard. Three were 80 years of age or older while one was between 70 and 79.

The latest fatalities brings the count to 330 lost to or related to COVID-19.

According to the state, 4,104 have recovered from the virus or about 75 percent of cases. Nearly 120,000 tests have been issued while 3,650 are under public health monitoring.

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First Responders Get COVID-19 Workman's Comp

Gov. Chris Sununu issued Emergency Order #53 as part of the state's efforts to respond to COVID-19 — an amendment to Emergency Order #36, ensuring Worker's Compensation Coverage for New Hampshire First Responders Exposed to COVID-19.

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Learn More About 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.
• Anybody who is told to self-quarantine and stay at home due to exposure to a person with confirmed or suspect COVID-19 needs to stay home and not go out into public places.
• If you are 60 years or older or have chronic medical conditions, you need to stay home and not go out.
• Avoid gatherings of 10 people or more.
• Employers need to move to telework as much as possible.
• There is increasing evidence that this virus can survive for hours or possibly even a few days on surfaces, so 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 when sick (i.e., social distancing).
• 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:

• New Hampshire Coronavirus Data: 6 More Deaths; 27 New Positives
• Coronavirus Recoveries Break 4,000 In New Hampshire: Data
• Coronavirus Recoveries In New Hampshire Reach 75% Of All Cases
• New Hampshire Coronavirus Data: 10 More Hospitalized
• New Hampshire Coronavirus Data: Recoveries Reach 73%

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