COVID-19 Update 13 September 2021

COVID-19 Update 13 September 2021

The next full update is scheduled for next MONDAY, September 20.

We have seen NH’S NUMBERS jump quickly. We are not that far away from our peak around Christmas/New Years. Our new case numbers are about the same as we had Dec 22. (Average of numbers reported Saturday and Sunday is 614. Today’s numbers will be shared on Tuesday). We went from there to peak (1,317 on January 3) in about 12 days. Our active/current cases (3,437) are now about the same as we had mid-November. We went from there to peak (6,994 on December 27) in about 43 days. The number of people currently hospitalized (154) is about the same as we had late-November. We went from there to peak (335 on Jan 2) in about 27 days.

Salem since last update: 42 new cases.
Total: 3,247 confirmed cases in Salem
We now have 60 active cases (72 last week)
1 out of every 9 Salem residents has been infected.
Salem’s new cases per 100K for 14 days: 324 (338 last week)
Salem’s Positivity Rate for the past 2 weeks: 6.1%. (Last week: 5.7%).
Salem’s new cases account for 1.6% of the new cases reported this week. Last week we were responsible for 2.2%. (Salem has 2.2% of NH’s population.)
Fully vaccinated Salem residents: 14,343 (48.0%). Change from last week: +38 people (+0.1%)
Partially vaccinated Salem residents: 15,399 (51.5%). Change from last week: +10 people (0.0%).

NEW HAMPSHIRE:

New cases of COVID-19 cases in NH this week: 2,631. (2,461 last week)
1 out of every 12 NH residents has been infected.
Of the new cases this week, 45 were healthcare workers, and 80 were in long-term care facilities. 1 deaths this week were from long-term care facilities.
Active COVID-19 cases in NH: 3,437 (3,221 last week; 155 active cases on June 28.)
Recovered in NH this week: 2,381. (1,934 last week.)
State Level of Transmission: Substantial in all counties
New patients hospitalized this week because of COVID-19: 13 (22 last week.)
Current patients hospitalized because of COVID-19: 154 (141 one week ago)
New admissions to ICU this week because of COVID-19: 4 (7 last week)
New deaths attributed to COVID-19 reported in NH this week: 13 (14 last week.)
Total NH individuals fully vaccinated: About 54.2% of our population, a one-week increase of 0.1%. 59.2% are partially vaccinated, a one-week increase of 0.0%.

Here is the information that I provided to the Selectboard for their meeting today (Sept 13), to assist them in their discussion regarding locations for Board meetings, such as the ZBA. (We cannot return to Zoom meetings without action from the Legislature or the Governor, but Boards must be kept as safe as possible.) https://www.bonnie4salem.us/covid-19-statistics-as-of-friday-sept-10-2021/

On Tuesday, September 7, 2021, DHHS announced 248 new positive test results for COVID-19 for Sunday, September 5. Sunday’s results include 153 people who tested positive by PCR test and 95 who tested positive by antigen test. DHHS also announced 371 cases from Friday, September 3 (220 by PCR test and 151 by antigen test) and 460 cases from Saturday, September 4 (307 by PCR test and 153 by antigen test). The data for Monday, September 6 will be included in Wednesday’s COVID-19 update. There are now 3,221 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire.

On Wednesday, September 8, 2021, DHHS announced 339 new positive test results for COVID-19 for Tuesday, September 7. Today’s results include 201 people who tested positive by PCR test and 138 who tested positive by antigen test. DHHS also announced 205 cases from Monday, September 6 (138 by PCR test and 67 by antigen test). There are now 2,887 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire.

On Thursday, September 9, 2021, DHHS announced 522 new positive test results for COVID-19. Today’s results include 261 people who tested positive by PCR test and 261 who tested positive by antigen test. There are now 3,079 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire.

On Friday, September 10, 2021, DHHS announced 337 new positive test results for COVID-19. Today’s results include 120 people who tested positive by PCR test and 217 who tested positive by antigen test. There are now 3,144 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire.

On Monday, September 13, 2021, DHHS announced 500 new positive test results for COVID-19 for Saturday, September 11. Saturday’s results include 352 people who tested positive by PCR test and 148 who tested positive by antigen test. DHHS also announced 728 cases from Friday, September 10 (473 by PCR test and 255 by antigen test). Cases from Sunday, September 12 will be included in tomorrow’s COVID-19 update. There are now 3,437 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire.

Each day, DHHS says that “Several cases are still under investigation. Additional information from ongoing investigations will be incorporated into future COVID-19 updates.” Percentages shown are % of new cases.

• • • • • • DIAGNOSTIC TESTS IN NH through Sunday • • • • • •

Total people who have tested positive: 112,326 (109,716) last week)
New positive cases this week by my math: 2,610 (2,242 last week)
New positive cases per DHHS: 2,631 (2,461 last week) (Doesn’t include Monday’s #’s.)
Rockingham County (22.78% of NH’s population)
- Total positive tests in Rockingham County: 27,341 (26,765 last week)
- New cases this week: 576 (526 last week)
- % of this week’s cases from Rockingham County: 22.1%

• • • • • NEW CASES • • • • • •

DHHS reports that the new cases this week (Tuesday to Sunday) reside in the following counties and NH’s two major cities:

Belknap: 158; was 162
Carroll: 118; was 99
Cheshire: 163; was 133
Coos: 41; was 44
Grafton: 80; was 116
Manchester: 356; was 368
Merrimack: 209; was 175
Nashua: 309; was 288
Rest of Hillsborough: 111; was 131
Rockingham County: 580; was 528
Strafford: 251; was 205
Sullivan: 72; was 53

The county of residence is being determined for 89 new cases. Several cases are still under investigation. Additional information from ongoing investigations will be incorporated into future COVID-19 updates.

• • • • • ACTIVE CASES • • • • • •

NH has 3,437 active cases. Last week we had 3,221. We were down to 155 cases as recently as June 28.
All counties have active cases: (Current vs. Last week)
- Belknap: 210 (214 last week)
- Carroll: 143 (138)
- Cheshire: 210 (179)
- Coos: 55 (65)
- Grafton: 114 (160)
- Manchester: 255 (231)
- Merrimack: 415 (367)
- Nashua: 154 (158)
- Rest of Hillsborough: 470 (490)
- Rockingham: 762 (686)
- Strafford: 317 (269)
- Sullivan: 88 (68)
- Unknown: 196 (196)

• • • • • CUMULATIVE CASES • • • • • •

1 out of every 9 Salem residents has been infected (1:10 three weeks ago)
1 out of every 11 residents of Rockingham County (1:12 last week)
1 out of every 12 residents of NH have been infected (1:13 two weeks ago)

• • • • • • RECOVERED • • • • • •

Total recovered: 107,446 (104,065 last week)
Recovered this week: 920 (898 last week)
Percentage of diagnosed cases that have recovered: 95.7% (98.3% in late July.)

• • • • • COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION • • • • • •

Recent CDC recommendations are based on Community Transmissions.

Per NH Department of Health and Human Services some time ago: The overall level of community transmission is defined using three metrics. A community is then assigned an overall level based on the highest-level determination for any specific metric. NH Metrics are:

New Cases per 100k over 14 days: Scale: Minimal: <50; Moderate: 50 – 100; Substantial: >100.

New Hospitalizations per 100k over 14 days: Scale: Minimal: <10; Moderate: 10 – 20; Substantial: >20.

Average PCR Test Positivity Rate over 7 days: Scale: Minimal: <5%; Moderate: 5% – 10; Substantial: >10%

More recently, they stopped the hospital metric, and now only report the New Cases per 100K, and Average PCR Test Positivity Rate.

NH Level of Transmission: Substantial (Last week: Substantial)
NH New Cases per 100K over 14 days: 373 (325 last week)

7-Day Total Test Positivity Rate: 5.9% (5.0% last week)

Every county in NH, as well as Manchester and Nashua, are at Substantial risk for community transmission.

Cases per 100K residents:

NH: 373 (NH last week: 325)
- Belknap: 516 (471 last week)
- Carroll: 440 (378 last week)
- Cheshire: 390 (334 last week)
- Coos: 269 (273 last week)
- Grafton: 216 (256 last week)
- Manchester: 343 (295 last week)
- Merrimack: 394 (309 last week)
- Nashua: 271 (250 last week)
- Rest of Hillsborough excluding Manchester and Nashua: 335 (310 last week)
- Rockingham: 356 (314 last week)
- Strafford: 350 (318 last week)
- Sullivan: 290 (206 last week)

Positivity Rate:

NH: 5.9% (was 5.0% last week)
Belknap: 8.1% (7.0% last week)
Carroll: 7.8% (6.3% last week)
Cheshire: 4.2% (2.7% last week)
Coos: 8.7% (6.4% last week)
Grafton: 1.7% (1.3% last week)
Manchester: 6.1 (5.4% last week)
Merrimack: 6.8% (7.4% last week)
Nashua: 4.5% (5.3% last week)
Rest of Hillsborough excluding Manchester and Nashua: 5.7 (5.6% last week)
Rockingham: 7.3% (6.8% last week)
Strafford: 7.3% (7.0% last week)
Sullivan: 5.7% (5.2% last week)

There are 120 NH communities with a positivity rate of more than 0. (108 a week ago). There are 118 communities with a positivity rate higher than 2%. (106 a week ago). 98 communities have more than 5% (86 a week ago). 48 communities have a positivity rate of more than 10%. (27 a week ago.)

• • • • • • HOSPITALIZATIONS IN NH • • • • • •

Currently hospitalized: 154 (Last week: 141)
Total hospitalized patients: 1,744
New people hospitalized from NH: 13
Percentage of those who have been infected that have been hospitalized: 1.6%
Total admitted to ICU: 517
New ICU admissions this week: 4
Total hospitalized patients from Rockingham County: 378
New hospitalized patients from Rockingham County: 2 since last week

• • • • • • DEATHS IN NH • • • • • •

Total fatalities in NH associated with COVID-19: 1,443
Lives lost this week: 13
Lives lost last week: 14
Lives lost from those in Long-term care settings: 1
Persons over 60 years of age who died this week: 10
Persons under 60 years of age who died this week: 3
NH Residents diagnosed with COVID-19 that died: 1.28%
Total lives lost in Rockingham County: 283
Lives lost in Rockingham County this week: 4

• • • • • • CHANGES BY AGES • • • • • •

(Totals showing changes since last Monday.)

0-9: New Infections: 6875 (+263); Hospitalizations: 17, (+1); Deaths: 0, (+0)
10-19: New Infections: 14126 (+475); Hospitalizations: 14, (+0); Deaths: 0, (+0)
20-29: New Infections: 22233 (+396); Hospitalizations: 41, (+0); Deaths: 1, (+0)
30-39: New Infections: 16773 (+415); Hospitalizations: 77, (+2); Deaths: 7, (+0)
40-49: New Infections: 14721 (+313); Hospitalizations: 132, (+2); Deaths: 16, (+1)
50-59: New Infections: 16854 (+328); Hospitalizations: 247, (+2); Deaths: 41, (+2)
60-69: New Infections: 10985 (+232); Hospitalizations: 390, (+1); Deaths: 151, (+4)
70-79: New Infections: 5411 (+110); Hospitalizations: 422, (+2); Deaths: 349, (+3)
80+: New Infections: 4281 (+78); Hospitalizations: 404, (+3); Deaths: 878, (+3)
Unknown: New Infections: 67 (+0); Hospitalizations: 0, (+0); Deaths: 0, (+0)

New Infections in the Past 4 Weeks vs. All NH Cases

0-9: 10% vs. 6.1% (+3.9%)
10-19: 13.8% vs. 12.6% (+1.2%)
20-29: 16.9% vs. 19.8% (-2.9%)
30-39: 16.5% vs. 14.9% (+1.6%)
40-49: 12.5% vs. 13.1% (-0.6%)
50-59: 13% vs. 15% (-2%)
60-69: 9.9% vs. 9.8% (+0.1%)
70-79: 4.7% vs. 4.8% (-0.1%)
80+: 2.7% vs. 3.8% (-1.1%)
Unknown: 0% vs. 0.1% (-0.1%)

Additional Age Stats

580 children under 18 are included in this week’s new cases. (477 last week)
22.0% of new cases announced by DHHS this week are kids under 18 years old. (19.4% last week.)
School Dashboard: I continue to question the accuracy of the School Dashboard. I have heard of cases affecting Salem students, but these are still not reflected on this dashboard.
Under 60: 2,190 new cases this week; 7 hospitalizations, 3 deaths
- Last week: 1,822 new cases; 12 hospitalizations, 4 deaths
60+: 420 new cases; 6 hospitalizations; 10 deaths
- Last week: 418 new cases; 10 hospitalizations; 10 deaths

• • • • • • Institutional Outbreaks in NH • • • • • •

NH DHHS reported 12 institutional outbreaks on Thursday, Sept. 2. Four are new this week. No institutions were removed from the outbreak list this week. The outbreaks, with changes from last week, are:

Alpine Health Center: 32 residents (+13), 13 staff (+1) and 5 deaths (+3)
Bellamy Field Assisted Living: 3 residents, 0 staff, 0 deaths (new to list this week)
Carriage Hill Assisted Living: 8 residents, 4 staff (new to list this week)
Colonial Poplin Nursing & Rehabilitation: 8 residents, 4 staff (+2)
Epsom Health Center: 7 residents, 8 staff (no change for 2 weeks)
Federal Correctional Institution in Berlin: 36 residents, 6 staff (no change from last week)
Laconia Rehabilitation Center: 20 residents, 10 staff, 4 deaths (no change from last week)
Maple Wood Cheshire County Nursing Home: 2 residents, 1 staff, 2 deaths (no change from last week)
Pleasant View Nursing Home: 3 residents, 0 staff (new to list this week)
Ridgewood Center: 10 residents, 0 staff (new to list this week)
Rockingham County Nursing Home and Rehab: 4 residents (+2), 6 staff (+2), 1 death
Windham Terrace Assisted Living: 6 residents (+2), 2 staff (+1)
All other outbreaks, which can be seen here, were closed as of this outbreak update.

• • • • • • Vaccinations in NH • • • • • •

NH DHHS reports 758,876 (54.2%) people are fully vaccinated, an increase of 1,285 people (0.1%) since last week.

832,128 (59.2%) NH residents have been partially vaccinated, an increase of 1,151 (0.0%)
people since last week.

• • • • • • VARIANTS IN NH • • • • • •

Per WMUR, as of Sept 13, NH had:

Number of people diagnosed with COVID-19: 112,326 (108,713 last week)
Number of B.1.1.7 variant (Alpha; UK) cases: 1,255 (1,250 last week)

Number of B.1.351 variant (Beta; South Africa) cases: 2 (No change)
Number of P.1 variant (Gamma; Brazil) cases: 203 (No change)
Number of B.1.617.2 variant (Delta; India) cases: 654 (was 466 last week)

These are not simply numbers. We must not forget that these are all someone’s husband or wife, mother or father, sister or brother, son or daughter, friend or neighbor.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hello, Salem!

Here are some random thoughts from this past week:

Today’s numbers are a little skewed. I screwed up with collecting hospitalization numbers on Friday. And DHHS admitted in their press release that they weren’t sharing the numbers reported to them on Sunday until Tuesday.

One of these weeks, hopefully, they will be back to providing data when it is due. Each time they do odd things like they’ve done today, and last Monday and last Tuesday, it skews my formulas in my database, and has me pulling out my hair! It’s very frustrating, and makes my reports much harder to compile.

It also makes the numbers hard to interpret. We do know the new cases this week count is off, probably by 500-700 cases. We don’t know how the rest of the numbers are affected.

Am I grumpy? Yup. It’s after 2:30 a.m., because of the extra work caused by the missing data. But it’s also frustrating that some numbers may look slightly promising, when they wouldn’t if we had all of the data. With school open less than two weeks ago, it’s way too early to celebrate. Hopefully it’s sorted out by next week, so we know where we really stand.

FINDING INFORMATION:

The State lists information on where to get vaccinated, where to get tested, and what to do if you test positive or were exposed to COVID on their website.

The new symptom list has been moved to just below the calendar.

“NEW” VARIANTS

MU and C.1.2: These were both covered extensively in last week’s update.

“For the C.1.2 variant [or Mu variant] to become dominant it will have to outcompete with Delta. That will mean increased transmissibility, being able to bind to human host cells and infect people quicker than Delta currently does.”

Mu Variant

Mu COVID Variant Outbreak in Florida. Story here.
Mu COVID Variant Cases Are Highest in These Five States: California, Florida, NY, Alaska and Texas. More here.
Mu Variant Shows That Virus Battle Is Ongoing. 2 min. video here.

C.1.2 Variant:

COVID-19: What do we know about the C.1.2 variant? Stories here and here.

VACCINES:

COVID-19 Vaccines Effective Against Delta Variant – How Pfizer, Moderna and J&J Compare. Story here.

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTED READING:

Mask resistance during a pandemic isn’t new – in 1918 many Americans were ‘slackers. Story here.

And that’s it for this week! My next update is scheduled for next Monday. In the meantime, stay safe, and always, be kind.

~Bonnie

COVID-19 SYMPTOMS – Updated early September

Concerns continue to grow for the Delta variant of COVID-19, which now accounts for 93% of all new COVID-19 infections. Descriptions of symptoms have been updated:

Ranking of Symptoms for Covid-19 Infection in the Unvaccinated

Headache
Sore Throat
Runny Nose
Fever
Persistent cough

Loss of smell now comes in at number 9, and shortness of breath is way down the list at number 30.

Ranking of Symptoms for Covid-19 Infection in the Partially Vaccinated

Headache
Runny Nose
Sore throat
Sneezing
Persistent Cough

Sneezing, which was never thought to be a symptom in the original Covid strain, is now ranked more common than a cough, for a reported symptom in those with only one dose of the vaccine.

Ranking of Symptoms for Covid-19 Infection in the Fully Vaccinated

Headache
Runny Nose
Sneezing
Sore throat
Loss of smell

A cough ranks 8 on the list for fully vaccinated people, and a fever ranks 12. Shortness of breath is way down the list at number 29.

Breakthrough COVID-19 symptoms:

While some vaccinated people are getting COVID, it is still rare, and 99.9% of all recent hospitalizations and deaths associated with COVID-19 are people who are not vaccinated.
CDC reports that 79% of those who are found to have breakthrough infections have a cough, headache, sore throat, myalgia and fever.
NBC says approximately 1 in 900 vaccinated people have had breakthrough infections. The vast majority of those had mild or no symptoms.