NH Coronavirus 48-Hour Update: 23 More Deaths; 1,614 New Cases

CONCORD, NH — State health officials reported another 23 COVID-19 related deaths in New Hampshire during the past 48 hours.

There have now been 869 fatalities in the state since March 2020 about 2 percent of all infections.

Two men lived in Coos County while five women and a man lived in Belknap County. Six women lived in Hillsborough County, one woman and two men lived in Merrimack County, two women and a man lived in Rockingham County, and three men lived in Strafford County. Seventeen of the deaths lived in long-term care facilities. Fourteen were 80 years of age or older while six were between 70 and 79 years old, two were between 60 and 69, and one was between 50 and 59. She lived in Merrimack County. Only 16 people, or less than 2 percent of fatalities, were in the 50 to 59 age category.

Another 1,614 new positive infections were reported found mostly via polymerase chain reaction tests. About one-quarter of the tests were antigen. Nearly 250 were children.

The results were found across seven days: 41 cases were from tests taken on Dec. 31, bringing that one-day total to 1,062, the third-highest single-day total. Another 54 cases were found on Jan. 1, two were from Jan. 3, nine were from Wednesday, 428 were from Thursday, 1,020 were from Friday, and 70 were from Saturday.

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Most of the new cases live in Hillsborough County outside of Nashua — 361, while 339 live in Rockingham County, 164 live in Nashua, and 137 reside in Merrimack County. The residency of 310 patients is still being investigating.

Nearly 1.2 million tests have been administered in the state while about 40 percent of New Hampshire's residents have been tested. The state said 262 people are in the hospital.

Recoveries have risen to 86 percent, more than 44,000, while the state has around 6,500 active cases.

Cases connected to K-12 school settings in the state have dropped to 29 active cases, according to the state's data dashboard. There is only one active case at a university or college in New Hampshire — at UNH.

State: All Public Settings Represent Exposure Risk

While the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services is performing contact tracing and warning employees and close contacts within restaurants, stores, and other entities, the public may not always find out about potential exposures.

During an interaction with public information contacts with the state's health department concerning an employee of a possible deli employee who contracted coronavirus but the store was not informing its customers, the department said the public should presume danger in all public settings.

"Given the widespread community transmission ongoing throughout NH, all public settings represent an exposure risk," said Laura Montenegro, a public information officer with the department.

The state's contact tracing works with stores and businesses to determine what employees meet "the definition of a close contact (within 6 feet for at least 10 minutes) to the infected employee," she said. Close contacts are then notified by the health department if they need to quarantine.

"If we cannot identify close contacts, public notification will be made in an effort to identify and notify anyone who may have been exposed COVID-19 and would need to quarantine," Montenegro added. "NH DHHS also advises these organizations on infection control measures."

If there is an increased risk of public exposure associated with a certain setting, she said, "we will issue a public notification."

When shopping or out in public, Montenegro reminded, residents "need to continue to follow the public health guidelines," including wearing a mask, socially distancing, practicing good hand hygiene, and limiting their time inside public places to minimize their risk of exposure.

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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 a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 needs to not go out to 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.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Schools, Employers, Employees and Businesses (Can your employer force you to get the vaccine? It depends).

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Healthcare Providers and Public Health Partners

• Guidance to schools can be found here.
• Instructions for returning travelers to self-observe for symptoms of COVID-19 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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