Coronavirus In New Hampshire: 663 New Infections | 48-Hour Report

CONCORD, NH — Another 663 Granite Staters have become infected with coronavirus during the past two days, according to the State Joint Information Center.

More than 21,100 tests were administered during the last 48-hours with 396 new cases found on Friday and 267 on Saturday. Around two-thirds of the tests were polymerase chain reaction tests. The rest were from antigen tests. Slightly more than half of the cases were female while 97 were under the age of 18. Most of the new cases reside in Rockingham County — 157, while 137 live in Hillsborough County outside of Nashua, 63 live in Merrimack County, and 47 live in Nashua.

"Community-based transmission continues to occur in the state and has been identified in all counties," according to officials. "Of those with complete risk information, most of the cases have had close contact with a person with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis."

A total of 73,413 people have contracted coronavirus in New Hampshire since the pandemic started in March 2020.

The state announced two more deaths: A woman from Coos County and a man from Grafton County. One was connected to a long-term care setting while one was 80 years of age or older and another was between 60- and 69-years-old.

The state said 109 people were hospitalized while 69,319 or 94 percent of all infections have recovered from the virus. More than 623,000 people have been tested via PCR tests while 37,421 have been tested via antibody lab tests. The seven-day positivity rate for infections is 4.3 percent in New Hampshire while 1.594 million tests have been administered.

New Hampshire K-12 schools have 127 cases connected to the school setting. Current cases in schools in Patch communities include eight cases at Portsmouth High School; four cases at Londonderry High School; three cases at Exeter High School and Concord High School; two cases at the Clark-Wilkins School in Amherst, Bedford High School, Merrimack Valley High School in Penacook, Adeline C. Martson Elementary School and Winnacunnet High School in Hampton, Reeds Ferry School in Merrimack, and Portsmouth Middle School; and single cases at Souhegan High School in Amherst, the Christa McAuliffe Elementary School and Rundlett Middle School in Concord, Phillips Exeter Academy and the Lincoln Street Elementary School in Exeter, Londonderry Middle School, North Elementary School, and the Matthew Thornton Elementary School in Londonderry, Thornton Ferry School and James Mastricola Elementary School in Merrimack, Christian Bible Church School in Nashua, Salem High School and the Woodbury School in Salem, and the Little Harbour School in Portsmouth, and the Windham Center School.

There are 310 active cases at colleges and universities in New Hampshire including 200 at UNH in Durham, 78 at Plymouth State University, 12 at Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, 11 at Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, six at Keene State College, two at New England College, and one at Rivier University in Nashua.

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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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