Coronavirus Update: NH Reports 133 New COVID Cases – New Hampshire Public Radio

NHPR is continuing to cover the developing story around coronavirus in New Hampshire. Bookmark this page for the latest updates, including case numbers and other important news of the day. Click here for all of our COVID-19 coverage.

Scroll down to our live blog for more COVID-19 news and the latest updates.

The most recent update from the N.H. Department of Health and Human Services on Nov. 1: 

• 0 new deaths reported. 
• 133 new cases reported.
• The state’s COVID-19 deaths total 483.
• Active cases number 1,352.
• Total cases now number 11,214.

Click here for NHPR’s COVID-19 tracker for case and trend data in N.H.

Other important links:

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LIVE BLOG – CORONAVIRUS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE:

Updated: COVID Map: Which New Hampshire Towns Require Masks?

Update: Sunday, Nov. 1, 6:45 p.m.

State health officials reported 133 new COVID-19 infections in New Hampshire Sunday. Of the new cases, twenty-one patients are under the age of 18.

No new deaths were reported. So far, 483 Granite Staters have died from the coronavirus.

– NHPR Staff

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Update: Saturday, Oct. 31, 5:09 p.m.

New COVID-19 infections in the state surged Saturday to 205, the most reported in a single day in New Hampshire since the pandemic began.

State health officials also announced one additional death, a woman from Hillsborough County, bringing the total deaths in the state to 483.

Thirty-one of the new infections are residents under the age of 18. There are 1,338 active coronavirus cases statewide, and 42 residents currently in the hospital for treatment. Two new hospitalizations were announced Saturday.

Gov. Chris Sununu issued a statement encouraging residents to take precautions.

“The situation here in New Hampshire remains very serious, the data shows that community transmission is increasing, and we expect cases to rise,” he said in a statement. “We must all remain vigilant in our daily lives. As we enter these winter months, it will be more important than ever to wear your mask, practice social distancing, and maintain proper hand hygiene.”

– NHPR Staff

State of Emergency Order Extended Again

Gov. Chris Sununu has issued another executive order that extends the state of emergency in response to COVID-19 for another 21 days.

This was expected. It is a continuation of the executive order first issued March 13, 2020, an emergency declaration that came the same day as the president issued a federal emergency declaration.

Read the latest order here.

Update: Friday, Oct. 30, 5:00 p.m.

State health officials reported 126 new coronavirus infections Friday. Of the new cases, 21 patients are under 18 years old. The new infections span all ten New Hampshire counties.

There are currently 30 residents hospitalized with the virus. Active cases number 1,216.

So far, 482 people have died from COVID-19 in New Hampshire.

– NHPR Staff

Explore the Data: Tracking COVID-19 in New Hampshire.

Update: Friday, Oct. 30, 3:59 p.m.

The state says there are additional potential exposures connected to a positive COVID-19 case at the Atkinson Country Club.

The Department of Health and Human Services says it has determined the potential exposure occurred in the Merrill’s Tavern and Stagecoach Grille areas on Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., on Oct. 25 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Oct. 26 from 4 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.

Those exposure dates are in addition to the possible exposure announced previously, which was in the bar and tavern area of Merrill’s Tavern, on Oct. 21-22.

The state has conducted contact tracing, but it makes this announcement to reach anyone who may have been in those areas on those dates. DHHS says those individuals should monitor for possible symptoms, which include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of taste or smell.

Here’s the state’s COVID-19 testing resources and locations.

And you can read more about the state’s contact tracing plan here.

– NHPR Staff

Update: Thursday, Oct. 29, 3:09 p.m.

Four more New Hampshire residents have died from COVID-19.

Dr. Benjamin Chan, state epidemiologist, said all four people were associated with long-term care facilities. The new deaths bring the state’s coronavirus fatality total to 482.

Chan announced 131 new positive test results, and the state has averaged 110 new cases each day over the past week. There are 1,106 active cases statewide.

No new hospitalizations were reported Thursday; 30 residents are currently in the hospital due to the virus.

State to Require Restaurants to Collect Customer Names, Numbers

Gov. Chris Sununu says that, at the request of the N.H. Lodging & Restaurant Association, the state will require restaurants to collect information from customers – a name, phone number, and time of arrival – to assist the state’s contact tracing team in alerting those who may have been exposed to COVID-19, in possible cases of community exposure.

This will take effect on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Sununu said it will help the state pre-identify people who have possibly been in contact with people who later test positive for the virus.

“The process has worked very well in other states across the country,” he said at a news conference Thursday in Concord.

– NHPR Staff

Update: Wednesday, Oct. 28, 4:30 p.m.

State health officials reported three more COVID-related deaths Wednesday. The patients were all residents over 60 years old. Two resided in Merrimack County, and one in Hillsborough County. So far, 478 people have died from the virus in New Hampshire.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 113 new coronavirus cases have been identified, bringing the state’s total cases since the start of the pandemic to 10,641. Ten of the newly-identifed patients are under 18 years old.

There are currently 29 residents hospitalized with the virus.

– NHPR Staff

Approximately 250 COVID-19 cases have been detected in K through 12 schools so far this year. About 50 of those are still active. There have also been a handful of clusters within schools, but state health officials say the level of transmission within school buildings has been low, in part due to schools’ social distancing and mask rules.

At UNH, the current number of active cases is 28. Since it began keeping tabs in July, UNH has recorded around 280 positive cases among staff, faculty and students.

“Even with the high number of students and staff that are being diagnosed, we have not seen a lot of in-school transmission,” said state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan on NHPR’s The Exchange Wednesday.

“And I think that speaks to the two things: One is that the layers of protection that schools are implementing is working. And the second is that, you know, school can be conducted safely in person, whether that’s full or in person or in hybrid.”

– Sarah Gibson

Update: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 5:27 p.m.

The state has issued a public health advisory for possible COVID-19 exposure connected to a positive case at a restaurant in Atkinson. The Department of Health and Human Services says this involves a case at Merrill’s Tavern at the Atkinson Resort and Country Club.

The possible exposure occurred in the bar and tavern area on Oct. 21, from noon to 7:30 p.m., and on Oct. 22, from noon to 11:30 p.m. DHHS says it has conducted contact tracing, and is notified close contacts directly. 

– NHPR Staff

Update: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 4:11 p.m.

State health officials announced 140 new COVID-19 infections Tuesday, and 1,067 active cases statewide.

There were three new hospitalizations, and 31 people are currently in the hospital for treatment of the virus.

To date, New Hampshire has had 10,531 confirmed coronavirus cases, and 475 deaths. The state did not report any new deaths Tuesday.

– NHPR Staff

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Update: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 3:01 p.m

A popular restaurant in Raymond has shut down for 10 days, saying seven of its more than 120 employees have tested positive for COVID-19. The Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery posted online that it closed Sunday.

The staffers include a server, a chef, two prep cooks and two members of management. Restaurant officials said all affected employees were wearing masks while working, and are feeling OK.

The building will be sanitized and all employees will be tested before reopening, the restaurant said. Restaurant officials said there was the potential for exposure to the coronavirus between Oct. 19-24 and encouraged anyone in the building at that time to be tested.

– AP

Updated: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 9:10 a.m.

Those in the restaurant industry are preparing for a tough winter season, as dining begins to move back inside.

In Portsmouth, at least six restaurants have reported positive cases of COVID-19 in recent weeks.  City officials recently extended their support for outdoor dining through the end of November, in an attempt to reduce community spread within restaurants.

But Valerie Rochon, president of the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce, said, come December, not all businesses may be able to safely serve customers indoors. Protective equipment can set them back thousands of dollars.

“They don’t have a lot of funds to buy a lot of plexiglass,” Rochon said. “So if they are on the fence, they might not choose to open up indoors. They might choose to do takeout instead.”

Rochon said the city is working to find solutions for those businesses, like financial assistance or more 15-minute parking spots for those offering takeout.

– Jordyn Haime

Update: Monday, Oct. 26, 5:50 p.m.

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services reported two more COVID-19 deaths Monday, bringing the state’s total deaths to 475. The patients were both male residents of Hillsborough County.

There are 1,002 current coronavirus cases in the state as of Monday, with 77 new infections reported in multiple counties. Eight of the new cases are patients under 18 years old.

Twenty-five New Hampshire residents are currently hospitalized with the virus.

– NHPR Staff

Update: Sunday, Oct. 25, 5:05 p.m.

State health officials announced 92 new coronavirus cases in New Hampshire on Sunday. No new deaths were announced. Total cases now number 10,328. New Hampshire’s death toll stands at 473.

Of the new cases, twelve patients are under 18 years old, according the Department of Health and Human Services.. 

There are currently 23 residents hospitalized with the virus. 

– NHPR Staff

Update: Sunday, Oct. 25, 3:55 p.m.  

New Hampshire health officials are advising people who went to several establishments across the state to get tested for the coronavirus due to possible exposure. The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services says a person who tested positive for COVID-19 was at the Concord Casino.

Officials say people who were in the gaming table area during the evening of Oct. 14 may have been exposed. Another person who went to Paddy’s American Grill in Portsmouth earlier this month has tested positive for the virus.

Health officials are also advising people to get tested if they were at La Vista Italian Cuisine in Lincoln on Oct. 17, 18, 20 and 22.

– Associated Press

Update: Saturday, Oct. 24, 4:21 p.m.

Two additional residents have died from COVID-19, state health officials announced Saturday.

The state also reported 129 new infections, bringing the total confirmed cases since March to 10,238. There have been 473 deaths due to COVID.

It is the largest single day case count since mid-May.

Of the new cases, 19 are under the age of 18. There are 946 active cases statewide. No new hospitalizations were reported; 19 residents are currently in the hospital.

Manchester was home to 30 of the new cases. Other locations, broken down by the state, were: Rockingham County, 28; Hillsborough County, 24; Strafford County, 12; Merrimack County, 11; Belknap County, eight; Grafton County, three; Carroll County, two; and Cheshire and Sullivan counties, one each. The state is investigating the residence for four cases.

– NHPR Staff

Saturday, Oct. 24, 3:01 p.m.

The state’s new guidance for hockey and indoor ice arenas requires coronavirus testing while ice rinks are closed and prior to Nov. 6. The mandatory testing is for all rink staff, volunteers, coaches and staff, referees, and athletes, according to the new hockey and indoor ice arena guidance announced by Gov. Chris Sununu.

Hockey rinks were closed by the state and play suspended for a “pause” a week ago after a wave of COVID-19 infections. State health officials reported at least 158 youth and adult players had tested positive for the virus. 

Hockey athletics are permitted to resume Oct. 30, as long as the new COVID protocols are in place. The new rules include having staff, volunteers and athletes wear cloth face coverings at all times indoors, when athletes are not playing. Parents and spectators must also wear a mask or face covering.

Arenas are also required to designate a person to monitor social distancing and compliance.

– NHPR Staff

Update: Friday, Oct. 23, 6:21 p.m.

State health officials announced 1 additional death due to COVID-19 on Friday, and 120 new infections. Confirmed cases since March topped 10,000.

There are 896 current cases statewide.

There have been 417 deaths due to the virus since the pandemic began. 

Fifteen residents are currently in the hospital for treatment. The state says it’s monitoring 4,235 people in New Hampshire.

– NHPR Staff

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Update: Friday, Oct. 23, 4:31 p.m.

The state on Friday announced potential exposure linked to multiple restaurants in three different communities.

The Department of Health and Human Services says the restaurants are Daniel Street Tavern and The Goat Bar and Grill in Portsmouth, The Draft Sports Bar & Grill and The Barley House in Concord, and Bantam Grill in Peterborough.

Information from DHHS:

• At least four people who have tested positive visited Daniel Street Tavern while potentially infectious. The state says it determined potential community exposure occurred in the bar area on the nights of Oct. 9, Oct. 14, and Oct. 15.
• At least one person who tested positive visited The Goat, located on Congress Street in Portsmouth, while potentially infectious. The state says potential exposure occurred at the bar on Oct. 15, between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
• At least five people who tested positive visited The Draft Sports Bar in Concord while potentially infectious. The state says potential exposure occurred on Oct. 9, Oct. 11, and Oct. 14-18. DHHS says this is an active investigation, and recommends anyone who visited The Draft since Oct. 9 should watch for symptoms and seek testing should they develop.
• At least two people who tested positive visited The Barley House in Concord while potentially infectious. The state says potential community exposure occurred in the bar area on Oct. 12-14, and Oct. 16. Anyone who visited since Oct. 12 should watch for symptoms and seek testing if they develop.
• At least one person who tested positive visited Bantam Grill in Peterborough while potentially infectious. The state says possible exposure occurred in the bar area during the afternoon and evening of Oct. 13.

The state has conducted contact tracing on all cases, and is notifying close contacts. The public notice seeks to inform anyone who may have been in those establishments on the respective dates and times. For more on testing, visit DHHS’ website. Here’s a primer on quarantine guidelines.

– NHPR Staff

Update: Friday, Oct. 23, 3:02 p.m.

The University of New Hampshire is extending its winter break for a week but eliminating spring break in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Like many schools, UNH is sending students home for Thanksgiving and then conducting classes and final exams remotely in December.

UNH President James Dean says classes will resume on campus Feb. 1, a week later than originally scheduled. Some campus buildings also will be closed in December and January to save money on heating, but arrangements will be made for those who need to work on campus.

– Associated Press

Update: Thursday, Oct. 22, 3:10 p.m.  

State health officials reported that one more resident has died from COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing New Hampshire’s death toll to 470.

The state said a male from Hillsborough County, who was 60 or older, was the latest fatality.

Active cases in New Hampshire currently number 832. The state also reported 82 additional COVID infections, bringing the total confirmed cases since March to just under 10,000.

Twelve of the new cases were individuals under the age of 18.  Rockingham and Hillsborough counties were home to half of the new infections, with 28 and 14 cases, respectively.

There were two new hospitalizations, and 18 residents are currently in the hospital for treatment.

– NHPR Staff

More CARES Act Funds for Veterans

Gov. Chris Sununu on Thursday announced an additional $2 million in CARES Act funding to support veterans services. The state previously distributed $7 million of the federal money to community supports for veterans.

The governor also says 2,000 businesses have so far applied for CARES Act funds in a second round of the state’s Main Street relief program. The deadline for businesses to apply for the latest round is Oct. 30

Sununu shared the below graphic to encourage Granite Staters to be aware of possible scams. He says N.H. Employment Security programs remain secure.

Update: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 6:16 p.m.

Health officials announced one additional death from COVID-19 on Wednesday. He was identified only as a resident of Hillsborough County, who was 60 or older.

The state reported 92 new coronavirus infections, and 798 active cases across New Hampshire.

There were no new hospitalizations; 14 residents are currently in the hospital due to the virus.

Since the pandemic began, there have been 9,917 total cases confirmed in New Hampshire.

– NHPR Staff

Update: Tuesday, Oct. 20, 6:40 p.m.

State health officials announced 85 new COVID-19 infections and two new hospitalizations on Tuesday.

There were 824 current coronavirus cases across New Hampshire. The daily positivity rate for the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests was .9%, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

No new deaths were reported. Since the pandemic began, there have been 468 deaths and 9,828 confirmed positive test results.

There were 16 residents in the hospital Tuesday for treatment of the virus.

– NHPR Staff

Update: Monday, Oct. 19, 5:00 p.m.

State health officials reported one new coronavirus death Monday. The patient was a female resident of Rockingham County.

The state also reported 57 new positive test results for the coronavirus, bringing total active cases in the state to 1,020. So far, 468 New Hampshire residents have died from the virus.

– NHPR Staff

Update: Sunday, Oct. 18, 5:20 p.m.

The state Department of Health and Human Services reported 70 new cases of COVID-19 in New Hampshire Sunday, a number that included 12 patients under the age of 18.

With Sunday’s new totals, there are now more active cases of COVID-19 in New Hampshire (971) than at any time since mid-June. Hospitalizations and deaths have also been rising in recent days, though both remain far below the levels seen in in late spring and early summer, when the pandemic was at its peak in New Hampshire. 

The state reported one new COVID-19 death Sunday, bringing the state’s total deaths to 467. The patient who died was a male resident of Merrimack County.

– NHPR staff

Update: Saturday, Oct. 17, 4:31 p.m.

State health officials announced 112 new COVID-19 cases and one additonal death on Saturday. It’s one of the biggest daily infection numbers the state has recorded since May – and each of New Hampshire’s counties had at least one case to report.

The number of current cases statewide has doubled over the past two weeks, from about 450 to now more than 900.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced a woman from Hillsborough County, identified only as being 60 or older, died from the virus. There have been 466 deaths in the state since the coronavirus pandemic began.

There were no new hospitalizations; currently there are 18 residents in the hospital due to COVID-19. 

Of the new cases, 21 are under 18 years old. Counties reporting the most cases: Rockingham, 24; Merrimack; 22; Hillsborough, 12. Manchester had 21, and Nashua 12.

– NHPR Staff

 Update: Saturday, Oct. 17, 3:01 p.m.

Enrollment declines at many New England colleges during the pandemic are putting further pressure on financially struggling institutions.

The New England Commission of Higher Education says the number of full-time graduate and undergraduate students plummeted by more than 20% this September compared with the previous year at more than two dozen colleges and universities across the region.

Meanwhile, hockey families will be off the ice for a while in New Hampshire and Vermont after the governors shut down skating rinks because of several outbreaks.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott says players will be asked to wear masks when play resumes.

– Associated Press

Update: Friday, Oct. 16, 5:10 p.m.

Two additional residents have died from the coronavirus, state health officials announced Friday. 

There have been 465 COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic began. The state said a man and a woman from Hillsborough County, both 60 or older, died from the virus.

There were 90 new cases reported, and 894 current cases diagnosed across New Hampshire.

The state has no new hospitalizations to report; 16 residents are currently in the hospital for treatment. Since March, the state has recorded 9,514 coronavirus cases.

– NHPR Staff

Update: Friday, Oct. 16, 1:33 p.m.

State health officials announced Friday they have identified a COVID-19 outbreak that may have exposed customers of a Hudson restaurant.

The potential exposures at Fat Katz Food and Drink on the Derry Road occurred between Oct. 2 and Oct. 9, according to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

At least 17 cases are associated with the outbreak. The state, in its announcement, reported the outbreak includes “one individual who went to the establishment while aware of their COVID-19 diagnosis when they were supposed to be on isolation, and a second person who went to the establishment when they were knowingly supposed to be on quarantine, both of whom potentially exposed others.”

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s office is investigating multiple violations of the state’s food service guidance.

The state has conducted a contact investigation and notified close contacts directly. DHHS says anyone who visited the restaurant between the above dates should seek testing.

– NHPR Staff

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DHHS has conducted contact investigations on cases associated with this potential community exposure and is notifying known close contacts directly. However, DHHS is making this public notification because there may be additional individuals at the location during those days and times who were exposed to the coronavirus and should monitor for symptoms and get tested.

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