NH Coronavirus: Death Count Rises To 7; Nearly 7K Test Negative

Tony Schinella
Updated ·4 min read

CONCORD, NH — The new coronavirus has killed two more people in New Hampshire, according to state health officials. The latest victims, a man and a woman, both lived in Hillsborough County and were both over 60 years of age, according to the state joint information center. The state did not report if the two latest victims had underlying health conditions that put them at risk — something that was reported with the five other deaths in the state.

The state also announced 61 new cases of COVID-19 — 40 women and 21 men. Nearly a third of the new cases were in Rockingham County while 12 were reported in Hillsborough County, 11 in Manchester, and eight in Nashua. Three new cases were also reported in Merrimack County.

The first confirmed case in Coos County was also announced Friday.

The state of New Hampshire released the latest county-by-county numbers of the new coronavirus on April 3.

Seven of the new victims were hospitalized bringing the total to 80 in the state who needed to be admitted for care.

A third of the new cases had no identified risk factors showing more community-based transmission. Most of the remaining cases, the state said, were patients who traveled domestically or internationally or had close contact with a person who was infected.

Around 27 percent of those infected with the coronavirus (144) have recovered, according to the state. About 1,775 Granite Staters are currently under public health monitoring.

Don't miss updates about coronavirus precautions and information in New Hampshire as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

NH Public Health Laboratories, LabCorp, Quest, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and those sent to CDC prior to NH PHL testing capacity have collected specimens from 6,965 people who tested negative. Of that, more than 3,800 were tested by the state.

Ninety-four tests are pending at the state labs — but it is unknown exactly how many other tests remain untested at private labs.

Help Stop The Spread Of COVID-19

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.

Patch takes community journalism seriously and we want to be as much service to our readers as possible at this very uncertain time. If you are a public health worker, medical provider, elected official, patient, or other coronavirus expert — or you simply have a news tip you'd like to share — please fill out this form. We'll keep names and personal information private.

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.

ALSO READ:

Got a news tip? Send it to tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos on Tony Schinella's YouTube channel.

This article originally appeared on the Concord Patch