2 More Deaths Connected To Coronavirus In New Hampshire: Update

CONCORD, NH — Another two New Hampshire residents have died due to or related to COVID-19, according to the State Joint Information Center.

The fatalities were two men who lived in Rockingham County. Both were 80 years of age or older, according to the state's data dashboard. There have been 1,303 deaths in New Hampshire or about 1.37 percent of all infections.

Another 264 new positive test results were reported including 58 children. About two-thirds of the results were found via polymerase chain reaction tests with 52 percent being male.

Most of the cases live in Hillsborough County outside of Nashua — 69, while 54 reside in Rockingham County, 22 live in Merrimack County, and 18 live in Nashua.

"The county of residence is being determined for 18 new cases," the state said.

There are now 2,514 active cases in the state while 96 percent of all infections, more than 91,000 people, have recovered. Hospitalizations rose slightly to 94. About 52.8 percent of the state's population has been tested while 2.164 million tests have been administered. About 26 percent of all residents have been vaccinated.

The state said 179 active cases were connected to the K-12 school setting while 48 were active at colleges and universities.

1 To 2 Deaths Due To COVID-19 Alone

For many months, on a regular basis, media outlets have asked during press conferences about whether or not there had been any deaths due to COVID-19 alone — meaning patients who did not have underlying health conditions or were elderly.

Health officials have consistently stated that there were no known death cases of COVID-19 alone — until this week. On Thursday, Dr. Beth Daly stated all of the deaths in the state, with the exception of "one or maybe two, are either 65 and older or have underlying medical conditions."

Older Cases Updated

During the past few months, state health officials have reported new deaths from as far back as November 2020.

This week, there were 14 new deaths reported between November 2020 and March who were discovered late to be positive coronavirus patients.

Daly was asked about why it was taking so long to report these deaths and where the information was coming from. She stated some were from the state medical examiner's office and had extensive toxicology reports while others were New Hampshire residents who may have died out of state. Other states, like Massachusetts, take longer to pass on information to the state, she said.

More than 90 percent of deaths are confirmed within six or seven days, Daly said.

"Again, the vast majority of deaths are being confirmed in a timely manner," she said, "but there are still deaths under investigation for several weeks or even months ago that we are waiting for death certificates for."

Case Mistakenly Reported As a Death

On April 27, Patch reported that a second person in the age 20 to 29 bracket had died due to COVID-19.

That information, however, was incorrect.

After asking Daly from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services about the death, and seeing that it was removed a day later, the department clarified the mistake as a "data entry error" and a case that was "mistakenly recorded as a death."

It was quickly discovered and corrected the following day, the public information office stated.

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• Sununu: All State Employees Back At Work Stations By May 10, Masks Optional
• 48-Hour Report Of Coronavirus In New Hampshire: 10 More Deaths

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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