New Stats

There is a new methodology in tracking and reporting cases which will temporarily inflate numbers. Positive antigen tests are now being counted towards the total case number since the person at some had COVID. This is from a fellow Representative and friend who is also a doctor and brilliant at statistical analysis:

“Public Health is changing its daily NH DHHS COVID-19 Update report as it was pointed out to them that their methodology was making NH look very bad in reports that rely on the Covid Tracking Project for data input, such as Johns Hopkins and rt.live.This was obviously concerning right before the election.Technical details are available at the linked website.Briefly, the Total Persons Tested at Selected Laboratories, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) line was being used as a denominator in calculations of percent positivity of tests divided by people tested.As we have a surveillance strategy in places like UNH that retests people that had previously tested negative, this was not increasing the numbers of people tested for the first time, resulting in anomalously high numbers.As an interim, they deleted the Total Persons Tested at Selected Laboratories, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) line.I believe we will be seeing a Testing Encounters line, which is the new preferred way of reporting, and will result in more favorable reporting about NH.” ~ Dr. Bill Marsh

The best advice is to wait a few weeks into the new methodology to see what the trends actually are, and also watch the two week average since that will have a smoothing effect on anomalies. ~ Steve

Many states have moved toward greater transparency about their test data reporting methods, and we’re making changes to better represent what they publish. We’re also introducing a “new” way some states are counting tests—one we think all states and territories would be wise to embrace. https://covidtracking.com/blog/counting-covid-19-tests

NH update: State adds results of antigen testing, raising numbers

COVID-19 positives from a different type of diagnostic test will now be included in New Hampshire’s case counts, state health officials have announced. Along with new positive tests reported Friday, this change has adjusted the state’s total number of cases confirmed to date upward to 8,534. This is up 217 over Thursday’s reported total of 8,317.

“We had previously reported only positive cases confirmed by a PCR test, per national guidance, with antigen positives considered suspect cases of COVID-19,” N.H. Department of Health and Human Services spokesman Jake Leon explained in an email Friday evening. “With the State’s decision to now report positive antigen tests, that adjusted all data including hospitalizations and deaths, not just cases.” More at https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/health/nh-update-state-adds-results-of-antigen-testing-raising-numbers/article_67298f8c-9bec-520d-add9-5e8a77be4c28.html

N.H. COVID update: Sharp rise in new cases over the weekend; almost 500 people have the disease

The slow rise in new COVID-19 cases that New Hampshire has seen recently became noticeably faster over the weekend.

The state reported 218 new cases from Friday through Sunday, the most we’ve seen in three consecutive days since June 4-6.

This raised the statewide two-week average to 44, the highest in three and a half months.

While that figure remains well below the level of 54, or four new cases per 100,000 people each day, which the Monitor is using as a measure of whether the pandemic is under control, the average has risen sharply since schools and colleges reopened. More at https://www.concordmonitor.com/covid-coronavirus-nh-new-hampshire-36637426

New Hampshire 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Summary Report

(data updated as of October 4, 2020 – 9:00 AM)

¹ Includes specimens positive at any laboratory and those confirmed by CDC confirmatory testing.
² Includes specimens tested at the NH Public Health Laboratories (PHL), LabCorp, Quest, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Mako, certain hospital laboratories, the University of New Hampshire and their contracted laboratory, and those sent to CDC prior to NH PHL testing capacity.
³ Includes specimens received and awaiting testing at NH PHL. Does not include tests pending at commercial laboratories.

On Sunday, October 4, 2020, DHHS announced 53 new positive test results for COVID-19. There are now 492 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire. Today’s results include 33 people that tested positive by PCR test and 20 that tested positive by antigen test. 

Several cases are still under investigation. Additional information from ongoing investigations will be incorporated into future COVID-19 updates. Of those with complete information, there are six individuals under the age of 18 and the rest are adults with 45% being female and 55% being male. The new cases reside in Hillsborough County other than Manchester and Nashua (16), Rockingham (11), Merrimack (5), Strafford (5), Belknap (2), and Grafton (1) counties, and in the cities of Nashua (9) and Manchester (3). The county of residence is being determined for one new case.