COVID Summary for 3/27

Here we are in day one of the new order. The expectation is simply that people actually work hard to minimize risk and contact. That clearly was not happening before, and now is the time to take it seriously. If you need to do something that you believe is prohibited by the order, please contact me or your local State Representative and we will get you an answer. Many people believed that all small retail stores are closed under this order. This is not true. You do need to figure out contactless sales and curbside pickup or delivery. If you need help navigating that, there are resources available.

EUKN36MXYAA1_Cs

On Friday, March 27, 2020, DHHS announced 29 new positive test results for COVID-19. There have now been 187 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in New Hampshire. The new cases are 10 adult males and 19 adult females. The new cases reside in Rockingham (8), Merrimack (4), Strafford (4), Grafton (3), Hillsborough County other than Manchester and Nashua (3), Belknap (1), and Carroll (1) counties, and in the cities of Manchester (3) and Nashua (2). Four of the new cases are currently hospitalized; thus far, 30 patients of the 187 positive cases (16%) have been hospitalized. DHHS has also announced the second death related to COVID-19. The deceased was a male resident of Hillsborough County who was over 60 years old and had multiple underlying health issues. The State expresses our sympathies to the family and friends of the deceased.

NH Persons with COVID-191 187
Deaths Attributed to COVID-19 2 (<1%)
Hospitalizations 30 (16%)
Persons Tested Negative at Selected Laboratories 3,656
Persons with Specimens Submitted to NH PHL 2,790
Persons with Test Pending at NH PHL 296
Persons Being Monitored in NH (approximate point in time) 925

Community-Based Transmission

Sixteen of the new cases have no identified risk factors. Community-based transmission continues to increase in the State and has been identified in the majority of counties. The remaining cases have either had travel to domestic or international locations or have had close contact with a person with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis.

Total number of cases with no identified risk factors is now approximately 60, which is 38% of total positive tests.

Federal Stimulus Package

President Trump has signed a bipartisan $2 trillion economic relief plan to offer assistance to tens of millions of American households affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Its components include stimulus payments to individuals, expanded unemployment coverage, student loan changes, different retirement account rules and more.

A summary of the bill is available here:
https://www.ncsl.org/ncsl-in-dc/publications-and-resources/coronavirus-stimulus-bill-states.aspx

I will pass along New Hampshire specific details once we have them.

Sununu on Close Up Sunday

Governor Sununu will appear on WMUR’s Close Up program Sunday at 10:00 AM. A preview of the interview is available here:

Sununu: Worst is likely yet to come with COVID-19 in NH

AG Memo Outlines Enforcement of N.H.’s Stay-At-Home Order

“Matt Broadhead of the Attorney General’s office says the primary objective of enforcing the order is to inform the public, and police are not encouraged to arrest or charge someone on their first violation.”

NHPR: Memo Outlines Enforcement of N.H.’s Stay-At-Home Order

Religious Services

WMUR: List of New Hampshire religious services live-streaming amid COVID-19 outbreak

Helpful Reading

Mortgage Relief Programs for Homeowners Hit by the Coronavirus Crisis