Coronavirus Infections In NH Close In On 4,000 Accumulative Cases

CONCORD, NH — Another nine people from New Hampshire have died due to complications of the new coronavirus, according to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

The state said all nine people, five men and three women from Hillsborough County and one man from Rockingham County, were all 60 years of age or older — with 199 deaths attributed to the new coronavirus in the state.

The state also announced 67 new positive test results Thursday bringing the totals in the state to 3,935 people diagnosed with COVID-19. Two of the new cases were children under 18 while 51 percent were women and 49 percent were man. Nearly half the cases, 30, live in Hillsborough County while 19 reside in Rockingham County. Nine patients live in Merrimack County.

Three new cases have undetermined residencies, according to the state, and not all investigations have been completed. The state will incorporate more information into future updates.

Eight new cases were hospitalized bringing the total number of cases to 393 or about 10 percent of all cases. Currently, 97 people are still in a hospital.

According to contact tracing and investigations, six new cases have no identified risk factors while most of the other cases contracted the virus based on contact to a confirmed positive infection or travel.

The state continues to issue around 2,600 tests per day with about 64,500 tests issued since late January. Approximately 3,925 people are under public health monitoring while 62,526, about 94.1 percent of all tests, had negative results.

Weekly Summary Report

The state also released a new weekly summary report tracking data and offering more specific information about cases through May 18.

According to the data, three health care workers have died due to complications from COVID-19 while 78 percent of deaths were associated with long-term care settings.

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More than half of all the state's cases, 1,967, were connected to long-term care setting or health care employment.

More men than women, 53 percent compared to 47 percent, have become infected by the virus. Only about 5 percent of the state's infections are 19-years or younger while more than a third are 60-years or older.

Only eight positive patients under 60 have died due to COVID-19 and all had chronic or underlying health conditions. Only one victim was under the age of 40. According to the state, 108 people who died were 80-years of age or older, about 63 percent of all deaths, while 45 deaths or 26 percent were between 70 and 79.

When eyeing risk information, the state said cases were 18.1 and 19.7 percent connected to contact with an infected person, community transmission, and international or domestic travel. Cluster-associated risks, like long-term care facilities, made up nearly 34 percent of all infections and nearly 77 percent of all deaths.

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Infections (79.3 percent), hospitalizations (78.5 percent), and deaths (83.1 percent) were mostly concentrated in Hillsborough and Rockingham counties.

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.

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