NH Coronavirus Update: Cases Jump To 137; Another Child Infected

CONCORD, NH — The new coronavirus numbers were released by state officials Wednesday and as warned, there was a large jump in positives during the past 24 hours. Twenty-nine new coronavirus cases were announced by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. Of those cases, 16 were women, 12 were men, and was a girl, the state said.

The girl is the second child to test positive for COVID-19 in New Hampshire.

"Thirteen of the new cases have no identified risk factors," said Jake Leon, a public information officer for the department. "Community-based transmission continues to increase in the state and has been identified in the majority of counties. The remaining cases have either had travel to domestic or international locations or have had close contact with a person with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis."

Six of the new cases were currently hospitalized bringing the number to 19 or 14 percent of all positive cases.

More than half of the new cases, 14, are in Rockingham County, according to the state, with eight reported in Hillsborough County not in Manchester or Nashua.

According to the state, 3,001 people have tested negative for the coronavirus with 712 tests pending at the New Hampshire Public Health Laboratories as well as LabCorp, Quest, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and tests sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention prior to the state lab testing capacity.

Another 2,620 specimens have been submitted to the state's laboratories. This number does not include tests pending at commercial labs, the state said.

Around 650 people in the state are under public health monitoring.

State officials said repeatedly during the last week that testing was to triple in New Hampshire this week. This expanding testing, officials said, would lead to more positives in the state.

House Dems To Sununu: Issue Stay-At-Home Order

Two hundred Democrat state representatives joined other Democrats like Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess, and District 2 Executive Councilor Andru Volinsky, in calling on Gov. Chris Sununu to issue a stay-at-home order and close nonessential businesses to fight the spread of the new coronavirus.

In a letter to the governor, the representatives said now was the time for follow the actions of other states, like Massachusetts and Vermont, under the guidance of public health professionals.

"As our hospitals and the mayors of our largest cities have noted," the letter stated, "every day that passes without a stay-at-home directive brings exponential growth to the health risks faced by Granite Staters, and unsustainable pressure on New Hampshire’s healthcare services which will lead to unnecessary loss of life. As you have acknowledged, we likely remain far from the peak of COVID-19 infections in New Hampshire … Monday’s announcement of the first death from COVID-19 in New Hampshire emphasizes the urgency in our communities to take decisive steps to combat this deadly virus. Closing nonessential businesses and ordering people to stay at home are bold steps critical to that effort."

House Minority Leader: Stop Politicizing The Crisis

In reaction to the Democrats calling on Sununu to issue a mandatory stay-at-home order, the House minority leader said they should stop playing politics and work together.

"The governor has advised Granite Staters to stay at home for weeks – especially older adults and those with higher risk factors," said state Rep. Dick Hinch, R-Merrimack. "It's discouraging to see that New Hampshire Democrats have chosen to play politics rather than spend their time working collaboratively with Governor Sununu and public health officials at DHHS to protect New Hampshire families. Governor Sununu has demonstrated leadership every step of the way during this crisis, and I am not going to sit around second guessing him, nor should others. The fact of the matter is that not even Massachusetts has issued a mandatory stay at home order. There is nothing stopping Massachusetts residents from taking public transportation, going about their necessary business outside, or traveling to other states."

NH AG To Online Companies: Stop Gougers

Attorney General Gordon MacDonald joined 32 other attorney generals in requesting a number of the world's largest online and retail outlets to better monitor price gouging practices with its online sellers using its websites due to the new coronavirus outbreak.

The letter was issued to Amazon, Craigslist, eBay, Facebook, and Walmart, and called on the companies to crack down on price gouging on hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies. The letter also requests the companies set policies to enforce restrictions on "unconscionable price gouging during emergencies," including examining historical seller prices, trigger price gouging protections prior to an emergency declaration, and create a portal for consumers to file complaints.

Consumers, Kate Spiner, the direction of communications for the department stated, "are encouraged to exercise added vigilance when making purchases and interacting with online sellers as the COVID-19 may provide opportunities for individuals to engage in unlawful activities." While the state does not have a specific anti-price gouging statute, state law prohibits unfair and deceptive conduct — and the attorney general’s office "vigorously enforces New Hampshire consumer protection laws."

To report unfair or deceptive conduct by a business, contact the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-888-468-4454; or email DOJ-CPB@doj.nh.gov; or visit the NH AG's complaints website.

Hassan Is Social Distancing … By Staying In DC

Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-NH, appeared on Fox News Tuesday to talk about the coronavirus stimulus package and the need to protect high-risk residents from the virus — including her son.

Hassan appeared on the channel's "American Newsroom" after offering a column on the news channel's website stressing the need to follow the guidelines to not infect others. It's also why she's staying in the District of Columbia and not coming home. Hassan's first child, Ben, is in a high-risk health group with cerebral palsy and severe disabilities — he is confined to a wheelchair and unable to speak or walk. The family, she said, has had health scares before with Ben, and she's not going to risk his health by coming home.

"When I tell your viewers that it can take multiple doctors, expensive, highly specialized equipment to get Ben through a pneumonia and pull him out and get him healthy again," she said, "I want you to think about that because this virus hits people very hard in the respiratory system and it will take a lot equipment, a lot of medical expertise to pull some of the highest risk people through."

Watch Hassan in the Fox News clip here.

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Eversource: We're Still Preparing

In the wake of electrical workers being named "essential critical infrastructure workers" by Homeland Security, Eversource has stepped up its proactive electrical and gas systems support in an effort to contain future outages.

While adhering to COVID-19 safeguards, workers are replacing lines, poles and other equipment, installing auto switches — to speed up power restoration, new utility connections, and other upgrades and replacements.

"The reliability of our essential service has never been more important than it is today during these uncertain times," said Eversource NH President Joe Purington. "Critical facilities like hospitals and nursing homes need uninterrupted service to care for their patients. Many people are working from home, and students are studying remotely, relying on electronic devices to accomplish their goals."

Former Congressman: Stay Home Order Needed

Former U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes, D-Concord, who is a candidate running for state Senate, to replace Dan Feltes, has joined other Democrats in calling on Sununu to issue a stay in place directive for New Hampshire.

Hodes attacked President Donald Trump, saying he seemed "hell bent on downplaying the virus" to "the point of irresponsibility." The Granite State, however, "can't afford to adopt a similar tone," he said.

"We are seeing the front edge of what could be a tidal wave and it's up to us to prepare and do whatever we can to prevent it," Hodes said. "We're seeing death and rising numbers. For now, the single best thing we can do to stop this disease is to Stay Home. This disruption to our lives and our economy is a challenge, but is absolutely necessary to secure public health."

Bank Closes Portsmouth Branch

Bangor Savings Bank, which recently moved to closing its lobbies to the public, is closing five of its 57 branches, including its Bow Street location in Portsmouth, on a temporary basis.

The bank stated there were other locations, "in close proximity," to the temporarily closed locations.

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Who's Hungry?

A number of restaurants are offering delivery and curbside pickup of food during the coronavirus outbreak.

All 108 Ninety-Nine Restaurants in New Hampshire and New England have a limited to-go menu as well as a new family-style meal package. Put your order in online, drive to the location, and an employee will check-in with you and then, bring out your order.

TGI Friday's is offering pickup and delivery at some locations and even a free kid's entrée with every online order of $20 or more (use the code FREEKIDS). They call it "homeschool fuel."

Tuscan Market in Salem just launched a free grocery delivery service to southern New Hampshire along with its delivery, takeout, and curbside pickup food service, and fun take-home meal kits, too. Joe Faro announced recently that the company would be donating 25 percent of all gift card sales to employees.

Do you run a restaurant or delivery service? Leave a note in the comment section with information about what you're offering customers.

What You Can Do To Stop The Spread

COVID-19, not unlike the flu and other respiratory illnesses, 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.

ALSO READ:

• NH Food Bank Assisting Pantries During Coronavirus Outbreak
• Concord Coronavirus: Hospital Reports Patients Are Recovering
• NH Coronavirus: 108 Positive Cases; Bus Rider Exposure Reported
• NH Governor Calls For Volunteers To Help With Coronavirus
• Nashua High South Set Up With Medical Equipment

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