COVID-19 Update 23 Aug 2021

COVID-19 Update 23 Aug 2021

The next update is scheduled for next Monday, August 30.

SALEM:

Salem since last update: 44 new cases.
Total: 3,082 confirmed cases in Salem
We now have 44 active cases (25 last week)
1 out of every 10 Salem residents has been infected.
Salem’s new cases per 100K for 14 days: 211 (147 last week)
Salem’s Positivity Rate for the past 2 weeks: 6.5%. (Last week: 5.9%).
Salem’s new cases account for 2.2% of the new cases reported this week. Last week we were responsible for 1.3%. (Salem has 2.2% of NH’s population.)
Fully vaccinated Salem residents: 14,295 (47.8%). Change from last week: +38 people (+0.1%).
Partially vaccinated Salem residents: 15,362 (51.4%). Change from last week: +102 people (0.4%).

NEW HAMPSHIRE:

New cases of COVID-19 cases in NH this week: 1,978. (1,413 last week)
1 out of every 13 NH residents has been infected.
Of the new cases this week, 49 were healthcare workers, and 38 were in long-term care facilities.
Active COVID-19 cases in NH: 2,324 (1,704 last week; 155 active cases on June 28.)
Recovered in NH this week: 1,213.
State Level of Transmission: Substantial in all counties
New patients hospitalized this week because of COVID-19: 20
Current patients hospitalized because of COVID-19: 107 (61 one week ago)
New admissions to ICU this week because of COVID-19: 8
New deaths attributed to COVID-19 reported in NH this week: 7 (5 since Friday)
Total NH individuals fully vaccinated: About 54.0% of our population, a one-week increase of 0.2%. 59.0% are partially vaccinated, a one-week increase of 0.4%.

On Tuesday, August 17, 2021, DHHS announced 271 new positive test results for COVID-19. Today’s results include 110 people who tested positive by PCR test and 161 who tested positive by antigen test. There are now 1,844 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire. [Of the new cases: Rockingham County: 66 (24.4%); Salem: 17 (6.3%)]

On Wednesday, August 18, 2021, DHHS announced 255 new positive test results for COVID-19 for Tuesday, August 17. Today’s results include 133 people who tested positive by PCR test and 122 who tested positive by antigen test. DHHS also announced 25 cases for Monday, August 16 (23 by PCR test and 2 by antigen test), for an updated total of 287 cases for that day. There are now 1,910 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire. [Rockingham County: 60 (21.4%); Salem: 1 (0.3%)]

On Thursday, August 19, 2021, DHHS announced 299 new positive test results for COVID-19. Today’s results include 154 people who tested positive by PCR test and 145 who tested positive by antigen test. There are now 2,059 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire. [Rockingham County: 42 (14.0%); Salem: 3 (1.1%)]

On Friday, August 20, 2021, DHHS announced 337 new positive test results for COVID-19. Today’s results include 205 people who tested positive by PCR test and 132 who tested positive by antigen test. There are now 2,191 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire. [Rockingham County: 72 (21.4%); Salem: 8 (2.6%)]

On Monday, August 23, 2021, DHHS announced 174 new positive test results for COVID-19 for Sunday, August 22. Today’s results include 116 people who tested positive by PCR test and 58 who tested positive by antigen test. DHHS also announced 304 cases from Friday, August 20 (176 by PCR test and 128 by antigen test), and 313 cases from Saturday, August 21 (201 by PCR test and 112 by antigen test). There are now 2,324 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire. [Rockingham County: 176 (22.3%); Salem: 15 (2.2%)]

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 • • • • • •

Total people who have tested positive: 105,302 (103,462 last week)
New positive cases this week by my math: 1,840 (1,345 last week)
New positive cases per DHHS: 1,978 (1,413 last week)
Rockingham County (22.78% of NH’s population):
- Total positive tests in Rockingham County: 25,706 (25,290 last week)
- New cases this week: 416 (260 last week)
- % of this week’s cases from Rockingham County: 22.6%

• • • • • NEW CASES • • • • • •

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

Belknap: 155
Carroll: 62
Cheshire: 98
Coos: 33
Grafton: 112
Manchester: 173
Merrimack: 163
Nashua: 119
Rest of Hillsborough: 244
Rockingham County: 416
Strafford: 169
Sullivan: 56

The county of residence is being determined for 60 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 2,324 active cases. Last week we had 1,704. We were down to 155 cases as recently as June 28, less than 2 months ago.
All counties have active cases: (Current vs. Last week)
- Belknap: 175 (74 last week)
- Carroll: 70 (58)
- Cheshire: 125 (91)
- Coos: 36 (52)
- Grafton: 138 (103)
- Manchester: 197 (137)
- Merrimack: 185 (144)
- Nashua: 136 (70)
- Rest of Hillsborough: 302 (250)
- Rockingham: 483 (345)
- Strafford: 199 (153)
- Sullivan: 71 (61)
- Unknown: 205 (168)
106 communities now have 5 or more active cases, accounting for 2,143(92.2%) of the 2,324 total active cases. Last week it was 89 communities, responsible for 1,509 total active cases (88.6%) of the 1,704 total active cases. (All others have less than 5 active cases.)
7 communities have more active cases than Salem. (12 last week): Manchester (197); Nashua (136); Laconia (69); Rochester(57); Concord (51); Portsmouth (50); and Londonderry (47).

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

1 out of every 10 Salem residents have been infected
1 out of every 12 residents of Rockingham County
1 out of every 13 residents of NH have been infected

• • • • • • RECOVERED • • • • • •

Total recovered: 100,576 (100,363 last week)
Recovered this week: 593 (458 last week)
Percentage of diagnosed cases that have recovered: 96.5% (98.3% 4 weeks ago.)

• • • • • 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: 187.5 (139.9 last week)

7-Day Total Test Positivity Rate: 5.1%

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

Cases per 100K residents:

NH: 243 (NH last week: 188)
- Belknap: 362 (196 last week)
- Carroll: 235 (176 last week)
- Cheshire: 231 (175 last week)
- Coos: 168 (209 last week)
- Grafton: 221 (166 last week)
- Manchester: 262 (197 last week)
- Merrimack: 190 (141 last week)
- Nashua: 197 (115 last week)
- Rest of Hillsborough excluding Manchester and Nashua: 205 (182 last week)
- Rockingham: 219 (172 last week)
- Strafford: 230 (181 last week)
- Sullivan: 257 (185 last week)

Positivity Rate:
- NH: 5.6% (was : 5.1% last week)
- Belknap: 8.1% (4.4% last week)
- Carroll: 6.3% (6.0% last week)
- Cheshire: 4.8% (7.5% last week)
- Coos: 7.3% (5.6% last week)
- Grafton: 2.8% (2.6% last week)
- Manchester: 5.3 (5.0% last week)
- Merrimack: 4.3% (4.5% last week)
- Nashua: 6.3% (3.4% last week)
- Rest of Hillsborough excluding Manchester and Nashua: 6.1% (6.3% last week)
- Rockingham: 6.6% (5.6% last week)
- Strafford: 7.0% (6.1% last week)
- Sullivan: 4.5% (5.7% last week)

There are 93 NH communities with a positivity rate of more than 0. (77 a week ago). There are 91 communities with a positivity rate higher than 2%. (76 a week ago). 72 communities have more than 5% (62 a week ago). 18 communities have a positivity rate of more than 10%. (18 a week ago.)

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

Currently hospitalized: 107 (Last week: 61)
Total hospitalized patients: 1,700
New people hospitalized from NH: 20
Percentage of those who have been infected that have been hospitalized: 1.6%
Total admitted to ICU: 504
New ICU admissions this week: 8
Total hospitalized patients from Rockingham County: 372
New hospitalized patients from Rockingham County: 7 since last week

• • • • • • DEATHS IN NH • • • • • •

Total fatalities in NH associated with COVID-19: 1402
Lives lost this week: 7
Persons over 60 years of age who died this week: 7
Persons under 60 years of age who died this week: 0
NH Residents diagnosed with COVID-19 that died: 1.33%
Total lives lost in Rockingham County: 274
Lives lost in Rockingham County this week: 1

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

352 children under 18 are included in this week’s new cases. (244 last week.)
17.8% of new cases announced by DHHS this week are kids under 18 years old. (17.3% last week.
Under 60: 1,114 new cases this week; 5 hospitalizations, 1 deaths
60+: 230 new cases; 8 hospitalizations; 5 deaths

(Totals showing changes since last Monday.)

0-9: 6% of Total cases: 6188 (+197); Hospitalizations: 15; Deaths: 0
10-19: 12% of Total cases: 13094 (+190); Hospitalizations: 14 (-1); Deaths: 0
20-29: 20% of Total cases: 21060 (+325); Hospitalizations: 40 (1); Deaths: 1
30-39: 15% of Total cases: 15644 (+336); Hospitalizations: 73; Deaths: 7
40-49: 13% of Total cases: 13843 (+226); Hospitalizations: 124 (+3); Deaths: 13
50-59: 15% of Total cases: 15945 (+243); Hospitalizations: 241 (+6); Deaths: 36
60-69: 10% of Total cases: 10272 (+167); Hospitalizations: 384 (+3); Deaths: 144
70-79: 5% of Total cases: 5100 (+107); Hospitalizations: 418 (+3); Deaths: 338 (+3)
80+: 4% of Total cases: 4092 (+50); Hospitalizations: 391 (+5); Deaths: 863 (+4)
Unknown: 0% of Total cases: 64 (+-1); Hospitalizations: 0; Deaths: 0

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

NH DHHS reported one new institutional outbreaks on Thursday, August 19, bringing the total to 4 institutions. The new location is Laconia Rehabilitation Center, with 13 residents, and 8 Staff. Remaining on the list is Epsom Health Center with 7 residents, and 8 (+5) staff having been infected, the Federal Correctional Institution in Berlin with 36 (+3) residents and 2(+1) staff, and Rockingham County Nursing Home and Rehab, which is still reporting 2 resident cases and 3 staff cases (unchanged from last week). All other outbreaks, which can be seen here, were closed as of this outbreak update.

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

NH DHHS reports 755,233 (54.0%) people are fully vaccinated, an increase of 2,042 people (0.2%) since last week. (926 last week.)

828,030 (59.0%) NH residents have been partially vaccinated, an increase of 4,840 (0.4%) people since 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:

Pfizer Approval:

Today the Pfizer COVID-19 received full approval from the US FDA. This is the only vaccine that has been approved for those 12-17 years old. Children under 12 are not eligible for vaccines.
Moderna and Johnson and Johnson are still available for those 18+, under the Emergency Use Authorization. Those 12+ who were reluctant to be vaccinated with a vaccine that wasn’t fully vaccinated have no more reason to be hesitant.
The Pentagon will require COVID-19 vaccines for US military. I anticipate other businesses will now require employees, and possibly visitors, to be vaccinated.

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 breakthough infections have a cough, headache, sore throat, myalgia and fever.

Breakthrough Cases Hit Home:

Despite vaccines, we are still having breakthrough cases. I know of a couple, who recently returned from a trip to Texas. He had the Moderna vax, and tested positive two days after they returned. She had Pfizer, and a day after him did not feel well. She has not been tested (which I don’t recommend), but she is quarantining with him (but not from him.) So far they both feel sick, but they are far from having to go to the hospital. Most likely, their vaccines are keeping their symptoms mild. Good luck, L & DR. (Not Salem residents)

Death Rates:
While our new cases continue to increase, NH’s death rate remains fairly low, except for the increase over the weekend. However, our hospital rates are increasing significantly (doubled in two weeks). An increase in hospitalizations usually follow an increase of new cases, and an increase in deaths follow an increase in hospitalizations.

Variants:

Concerns continue to grow for the Delta variant of COVID-19.

Some of the symptoms of the new Delta variant are different than the traditional COVID-19 symptoms. They can include:

SNEEZING more than usual
Sore throat
Runny nose or sinus congestion
Fever
Headaches
Stomach pain
Loss of appetite
Vomiting
Nausea
Joint pain
Hearing loss
Diarrhea
Small blood clots
Shortness of breath

The symptoms of the Lambda variant are similar to that of the initial COVID-19 strain.

Per WMUR, as of August 23, NH had:

Number of people diagnosed with COVID-19: 104,571 (+1,670 from last week)
Total individuals fully vaccinated: 752,758
Number of B.1.1.7 variant (Alpha; UK) cases: 1,204
Number of B.1.351 variant (Beta; South Africa) cases: 1 (No change)
Number of P.1 variant (Gamma; Brazil) cases: 197
Number of B.1.617.2 variant (Delta; India) cases: 226

Since not every positive case is sequenced, these numbers aren’t as useful as they might be, especially since we don’t know how many are tested.

At the Governor’s press conference on 8/12, the Governor’s team reported that just under 40% of all positive tests that were examined for variants were positive with the Delta variation. It would be helpful if they would provide the percentage of variants tested regularly.

Additional suggested reading:

If you had the Johnson & Johnson vaccine like I did, you are probably frustrated at the lack of information about booster vaccines. This article made me much more comfortable.

What to Know About Boosters if You Got the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine. Story here.

I plan to be back with another update next Monday night. The first report in September will likely be on that Tuesday, due to Labor Day. In the meantime, stay safe, and always, be kind.

~Bonnie