COVID-19 Update September 23

COVID-19 Update September 23

Total: 323 confirmed cases in Salem
1 out of every 91 Salem residents have been infected
Salem Today: 0 new cases, <5 active cases

• • • TODAY’S SPOTLIGHT • • • • • •

For the fourth day in a row, Salem has had no new infections.
More than 8,000 NH residents have been infected with COVID-19.
Only 962 test results were returned today, with 945 negatives.
New infections in NH are a little confusing today. DHHS has reported 25 new cases, but the number of cases has only gone up 17 from yesterday. On top of that discrepancy, they have reported that “Laboratory reporting from one laboratory was incomplete so additional test results may be received from this laboratory in the coming days.”
The positivity rate today, for the information reported, is 1.77%.
Active cases are down to 266. Recently (Saturday) it has been as high as 318, and as low as 209 (Sept 4).
Today, NH DHHS reported in their press release that 2 kids under 18 were infected. Per NH DHHS’s dashboard, there was 1 child aged 0-9 that was infected, there were -2 kids aged 10-19, and there were 2 people aged 20-29 who were infected.
Schools with active or recovered cases:

- No preschool. 10 elementary schools. 3 middle schools. 12 high schools (+1). 12 Colleges/Universities.
- The numbers for Salem students remain unchanged (1 active case, even though we know of three Salem High students that have been infected.
- Windham High School has more recovered students, bringing their totals to 1 active and 6 recovered students. The school has reported quite a few more students with infections that the state includes in their dashboard.
- Thanks to Nancy who reminded us that the state is still not including the count of UNH tests in the number of tests reported. Supposedly the State is including college kids who are living in NH in the count of new infections. If positive tests are reported, but total tests are not, how is it affecting the positivity rate?
33 more people are no longer considered infectious.
There was only one more person that was hospitalized with COVID-19 today, the third time in as many days. NH has 17 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, which is a bit unexpected, as we only had 11 yesterday.
There have been no new COVID-19-related deaths in NH in the past 8 days.

• • • • DIAGNOSTIC TESTS IN NH • • • •

New positive cases per DHHS: 38
My new positive cases (Total of today’s cases minus yesterday’s total): 38
Children under 18 in new cases: 2
Total positive cases in NH: 7,990
Percentage of today’s tests that are positive: 2.96%
Total PCR tests results reported today (Positive results plus negative results): 1,285
The daily average of diagnostic (PCR) tests reported from 7 days ago to today: 1,399
New negative results reported today: 1,247
Total negative cases in NH: 235,537

• • • • Rockingham County • • • • • •

Total cases in Rockingham County: 1,989
New cases in Rockingham County: 12
Rockingham County: New cases per 100K residents: 3.9
Rockingham County 1-week average per 100K residents: 2.7
Percent of all cases from Rockingham County: 24.9%
Percent of all cases from either Hillsborough County or Rockingham County: 79%

• • • • Active Cases• • • • • •

Active cases in NH: 293
Active cases in Rockingham County: 83
Percent of NH’s active cases that are in Rockingham County: 28.3%

• • • • OTHER TEST RESULTS• • • • • •

New antibody tests: 27
Total antibody tests (No break downs of positive vs. negative): 30,781
The daily average of antibody tests reported from 7 days ago to today: 45
Children diagnosed with MIS-C: (as of 5/22/2020): 1

• • • • RECOVERED IN NH • • • • • •

Announced today: 33
Total Recovered: 7,259
Percentage of diagnosed cases that have recovered: 90.9%

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

New: 1
Current: 11
Total Hospitalized: 727
Percentage of those who have been infected that have been hospitalized: 9.10%

• • • • DEATHS IN NH • • • • • •

Lives lost today: 0
Persons over 60 years of age who died today: 0
Persons under 60 years of age who died today: 0
Total fatalities in NH associated with COVID-19: 438
NH Residents diagnosed with COVID-19 that died: 5.48%
Lives lost in Rockingham today: 0

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.

I see some odd numbers again today. The number of hospitalizations showed only one new patient, but the total number of patients went up by six. I don’t understand that. The cumulative number of kids aged 10-19 that were infected went down by two. I don’t understand that, either. UNH is reporting that they averaged 3,119 tests per day from 9/15-9/21, yet NH DHHS is reporting an average of 1,489 tests per day for that same period. Shouldn’t ALL tests that are done on NH residents be reported to, and by, NH DHHS? And, of course, Salem and Windham school counts on NH DHHS don’t agree with the info from the schools. Each of these alone concerns me.

My data can only be as accurate as what is shared by the State. Sometimes it just doesn’t make sense. If I see it, I call it. There are too many mysteries, which makes me question: What else am I not seeing?

Stay safe, and always, be kind.

~Bonnie