Another COVID-19 Death; 230 More Positive Cases In NH: Data

CONCORD, NH — After testing more than 8,000 Granite Staters Friday, state health officials reported 230 new positive COVID-19 test results and announced another death on Saturday.

The death, New Hampshire's 489th fatality, was a man from Belknap County who was 80 years of age or older.

Along with the new polymerase chain reaction tests collected Friday, testing days from prior reports were also elevated. Another 643 tests are pending leading to a positivity rate of 1.4 percent.

Eleven of the new cases are still under investigation but of those with completed information, 26 are children and 52 percent were male. Fifty-eight reside in Rockingham County, 29 live in Hillsborough County outside of Manchester and Nashua, 22 live in Nashua, and 21 live in Merrimack County.

Forty-nine New Hampshire residents are hospitalized and only one of the new cases had no identified risk factors.

Nearly 362,000 residents have been tested via PCR tests; nearly 33,000 residents have been tested via antibody tests; the state has 12,241 accumulative positive test results; and 9,980 people or 82 percent have recovered from the virus.

Possible Exposure In Hampton

Also on Saturday, state health officials alerted the public and the press about a potential community exposure at a Hampton establishment.

Anyone eating or having drinks at the 401 Tavern on Lafayette Road on Oct. 23, or Oct. 24, may have been exposed to the virus. Health officials are performing contact tracing investigations but there may be additional people at the tavern who were exposed but have not been notified.

Officials said anyone who was at the tavern on those dates should be aware of potential COVID-19 symptoms, get tested, and self-quarantine.

School Data In New Hampshire

K-12 schools in New Hampshire have 59 active COVID-19 cases.

Two new cases were reported recently at Dover Senior High School; Gilford High School; the Harold Martin Elementary School in Hopkinton has its third case; the Iber Holmes Gove Middle School has its second active case; Milford High School has its fourth case; the Newport Montessori School has its first case; the Rundlett Middle School in Concord has its first case listed as reported on Oct. 31; and the Timberlane Regional Middle School has its first reported case.

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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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