COVID-19 Update 25 October 2021
NH DHHS’s Dashboards are “under maintenance” again, so this update is not as complete as I’d like.
- Salem since last update: 46 new cases from Monday to Friday. (Missing is Saturday, Sunday and Monday’s new cases.)
- Total: 3,578 confirmed cases in Salem as of Friday
- We now have 67 active cases as of Friday (58 last week)
- Salem’s daily average: 60 new cases per week (Mon-Friday). (56 last week)
- 1 out of every 8 Salem residents has been infected.
- Salem’s new cases per 100K for 14 days: ??? (328 last week)
- Salem’s Positivity Rate for the past 2 weeks: ???%. (Last week: 4.9%).
- Salem had ???% of new cases this week; Salem has 2.2% of NH’s population
- Fully vaccinated Salem residents one week ago: 14,457 (48.3%). Change from last week: +51 people (+0.1)
- Partially vaccinated Salem residents one week ago: 15,658 (52.4%). Change from last week: +72 people (0.3%).
NEW HAMPSHIRE:
- New cases of COVID-19 in NH this week by math (Total cases last week compared to total cases today): 2,778. (3,920 last week)
- New cases reported by NH DHHS this week: 4,108. (3,664 last week)
- 1 out of every 10 NH residents has been infected.
- Active COVID-19 cases in NH: 3,295 (4,430 last week.) There were 155 active cases on June 28.
- Recovered in NH this week: 3,893. (3,406 last week.)
- State Level of Transmission: Substantial in all counties
- New patients hospitalized this week because of COVID-19: 6 from Monday to Friday
- Current patients hospitalized because of COVID-19: 220 (178 one week ago; 142 two weeks ago)
- New admissions to ICU this week because of COVID-19: 3 since last week as of Friday
- New deaths attributed to COVID-19 reported in NH this week: 19 from Monday to Friday (27 last week.)
- As of last week: Total NH individuals fully vaccinated: About 54.6% of our population, a one-week increase of 0.1%. 60.0% are partially vaccinated, a one-week increase of 0.2%.
Hello, Salem!
My frustration with NH DHHS continues. ALL dashboards are shut down for “scheduled maintenance.” Again, for weeks, data isn’t available when I do my update. It’s increasingly hard to have confidence in these people. From dashboard shutdowns or dashboards not being updated, I believe it’s cause for concern. And look below. WHY do they report info from so many days at once??? Today’s numbers reported by DHHS includes data from SIX days, but doesn’t include yesterday’s results, which should be in this mix. Luckily, the press update is still reported, and I grabbed data from Friday, while it was still available, so we have some data.
It looks like NH numbers are heading in a good direction, but too much info is missing to be sure. Salem has not always followed the trend of the rest of the State, and we don’t have data for Salem since Friday — a lot can happen in that amount of time. So we don’t really know where we stand.
Four out of five of NH’s Executive Councilors voted to reject $27 million of federal funds — OUR tax dollars — that was going to pay for vaccinations of COVID-19. NH is the ONLY state to reject these funds, which will now go to other states. One NH State Rep wrote, “Parents who were anxiously awaiting the opportunity to vaccinate their elementary school age children & senior citizens hoping to get the booster shot will have to wait.” I hope she is wrong. I do know a few of my regular readers have had their booster shots this past week. Hopefully we will have enough to go around for anyone who wants it.
My next update is scheduled for next Monday. In the meantime, stay safe, and always, be kind.
~Bonnie
On Tuesday, October 19, 2021, DHHS announced 341 new positive test results for COVID-19 for Monday, October 18. Today’s results include 115 people who tested positive by PCR test and 226 who tested positive by antigen test. DHHS also announced an additional 19 new cases from Tuesday, October 12 (14 by PCR and 5 by antigen test) for a new total of 632; and an additional 17 new cases from Wednesday, October 13 (9 by PCR and 8 by antigen test) for a new total of 658. There are now 4,232 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire. DHHS also reported two older deaths, both for people from Rockingham County, and both aged 60+. One was from the week of August 23, the other was from the week of September 20.
On Wednesday, October 20, 2021, DHHS announced 538 new positive test results for COVID-19 for Tuesday, October 19. Today’s results include 335 people who tested positive by PCR test and 203 who tested positive by antigen test. DHHS also announced an additional 69 new cases from Wednesday, October 13 (40 by PCR and 29 by antigen test) for a new total of 727; an additional 5 new cases from Thursday, October 14 (5 by PCR and 0 by antigen test) for a new total of 596; and an additional 3 new cases from Friday, October 15 (2 by PCR and 1 by antigen test) for a new total of 670. There are now 4,517 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire.
On Thursday, October 21, 2021, DHHS announced 609 new positive test results for COVID-19 for Wednesday, October 20. Today’s results include 406 people who tested positive by PCR test and 203 who tested positive by antigen test. DHHS also announced an additional 59 new cases from Thursday, October 14 (32 by PCR and 27 by antigen test, for a new total of 655); and an additional 12 new cases from Friday, October 15 (3 by PCR and 9 by antigen test, for a new total of 682). There are now 4,849 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire.
On Friday, October 22, 2021, DHHS announced 418 new positive test results for COVID-19 for Thursday, October 21. Today’s results include 306 people who tested positive by PCR test and 112 who tested positive by antigen test. DHHS also announced an additional 71 new cases from Friday, October 15 (36 by PCR and 35 by antigen test) for a new total of 753; an additional 25 new cases from Saturday, October 16 (18 by PCR and 7 by antigen test) for a new total of 643; an additional 9 new cases from Sunday, October 17 (0 by PCR and 9 by antigen test) for a new total of 334; an additional 5 new cases from Monday, October 18 (0 by PCR and 5 by antigen test) for a new total of 346; and an additional 5 new cases from Tuesday, October 19 (0 by PCR and 5 by antigen test) for a new total of 543. There are now 4,684 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire.
On Monday, October 25, 2021, DHHS announced 49 new positive test results for COVID-19 for Saturday, October 23. Today’s results include 25 people who tested positive by PCR test and 24 who tested positive by antigen test. DHHS also announced 583 cases from Friday, October 22 (414 by PCR and 169 by antigen test). Additionally, DHHS announced an additional 49 new cases from Saturday, October 16 (16 by PCR and 33 by antigen test) for a new total of 685; an additional 26 new cases from Sunday, October 17 (18 by PCR and 8 by antigen test) for a new total of 360; an additional 15 new cases from Monday, October 18 (6 by PCR and 9 by antigen test) for a new total of 361; and an additional 3 new cases from Thursday, October 21 (2 by PCR and 1 by antigen test) for a new total of 421. There are now 3,295 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire.
Each day, DHHS says that “Test results for previous days are still being processed and updated case counts for prior days will be reflected on the COVID-19 interactive dashboard.” And, “Several cases are still under investigation. Additional information from ongoing investigations will be incorporated into future COVID-19 updates.”
The COVID-19 Dashboards are undergoing scheduled maintenance and are currently unavailable. We apologize for this extended time frame. We are working as quickly as possible to complete the maintenance.
• • • • • • DIAGNOSTIC TESTS IN NH • • • • • •
- Total people who have tested positive: 132,441 (129,663) last week)
- New positive cases this week by math (Comparison of total number of cases last week to now): 2,778 (3,920 last week)
- New positive cases per DHHS: 2,930 (4,108 last week)
• • • • • ACTIVE CASES • • • • • •
- NH has 3,295 active cases. Last week we had 4,430. We were down to 214 cases as recently as June 28.
- As of Friday, 10 communities had more active cases than Salem, and Dover was tied with us with 67 active cases.
• • • • • CUMULATIVE CASES • • • • • •
- 1 out of every 8 Salem residents has been infected
- 1 out of every 10 residents of Rockingham County (1:11 two weeks ago)
- 1 out of every 10 residents of NH have been infected (1:11 last week)
• • • • • • RECOVERED • • • • • •
- Total recovered: 127,602
- Recovered this week: 2,039 (1,837 last week)
- Percentage of diagnosed cases that have recovered: 96.3% (98.3% in late July.)
• • • • • COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION • • • • • •
- Last week, every county in NH, as well as Manchester and Nashua, are at Substantial risk for community transmission.
- Cases per 100K NH residents: ??? (NH last week: 566)
- Positivity Rate for NH: ???% (was 6.3% last week)
• • • • • • HOSPITALIZATIONS IN NH • • • • • •
- Currently hospitalized: 220 (Last week: 178)
- Last week: Staffed hospital beds available: 13.8% (15.6% last week)
- Total hospitalized patients: 1,821 on Friday (1,815 last week)
- New people hospitalized from NH: 6 as of Friday (Last week: 29)
- Percentage of those who have been infected that have been hospitalized: 1.4% as of Friday
- Total admitted to ICU: 534 as of Friday
- New ICU admissions this week: 3 from Friday, Oct 8 (8 last week)
- Last week: Staffed adult ICU beds available: 9.0% (Last week: 9.9%)
- Last week: Ventilators available: 74.1% (73.8% last week)
• • • • • • DEATHS IN NH • • • • • •
- Total fatalities in NH associated with COVID-19: 1,543 as of Friday
- Lives lost this week: 19 (Monday to Friday).
- Lives lost last week: 27
- Persons over 60 years of age who died
thislast week: 22 - Persons under 60 years of age who died
thislast week: 5 - NH Residents diagnosed with COVID-19 that died: 1.17% as of Friday
• • • • • • TOTALS BY AGES • • • • • •
(Showing changes since last week through Friday)
- 0-9: Infections: 9285 (+434); Hospitalizations: 19 (+0); Deaths: 0 (+0)
- 10-19: Infections: 17603 (+639); Hospitalizations: 15 (+0); Deaths: 0 (+0)
- 20-29: Infections: 25055 (+475); Hospitalizations: 44 (+0); Deaths: 2 (+1)
- 30-39: Infections: 19665 (+556); Hospitalizations: 84 (+1); Deaths: 10 (+0)
- 40-49: Infections: 17058 (+436); Hospitalizations: 139 (+0); Deaths: 22 (+1)
- 50-59: Infections: 19219 (+485); Hospitalizations: 258 (+0); Deaths: 52 (+3)
- 60-69: Infections: 12734 (+384); Hospitalizations: 402 (+1); Deaths: 166 (+2)
- 70-79: Infections: 6265 (+188); Hospitalizations: 437 (+1); Deaths: 367 (+4)
- 80+: Infections: 4787 (+143); Hospitalizations: 423 (+5); Deaths: 924 (+12)
- Unknown: Infections: 119 (+3); Hospitalizations: 0 (+0); Deaths: 0 (+0)
- Total: Infections: 131790 (+3743); Hospitalizations: 1821 (+8); Deaths: 1543 (+23)
- New Infections in the Past 4+/- Weeks vs. All NH Cases
- 0-9: 12.6% vs. 7% (+5.6%)
- 10-19: 17.4% vs. 13.4% (+4%)
- 20-29: 14.6% vs. 19% (-4.4%)
- 30-39: 14.9% vs. 14.9% (0%)
- 40-49: 12.3% vs. 12.9% (-0.6%)
- 50-59: 12% vs. 14.6% (-2.6%)
- 60-69: 8.8% vs. 9.7% (-0.9%)
- 70-79: 4.5% vs. 4.8% (-0.3%)
- 80+: 2.5% vs. 3.6% (-1.1%)
- Unknown: 0.3% vs. 0.1% (+0.2%)
Additional Age Stats
- 754 children under 18 are included in this week’s new cases. (1,094 last week)
- 25.7% of new cases announced by DHHS this week are kids under 18 years old. (26.6% last week)
- Under 60: 3,025 new cases this week; 2 hospitalizations, 3 deaths as of Friday
- Last week: 2,934 new cases; 2 hospitalizations, 4 deaths
- 60+: 715 new cases; 4 hospitalizations; 16 deaths as of Friday
- Last week: 515 new cases; 2 hospitalizations; 12 deaths
• • • • • • Institutional Outbreaks in NH • • • • • •
- NH DHHS reported 14 institutional outbreaks on Thursday, Oct. 21. Last week there were 12 outbreaks.
- Details about these active outbreaks, and all closed outbreaks, can be seen here.
• • • • • • VARIANTS IN NH • • • • • •
Per WMUR, on Oct NH has had:
- Number of B.1.1.7 variant (Alpha; UK) cases: 1,259 No change)
- Number of B.1.351 variant (Beta; South Africa) cases: 2 (No change)
- Number of P.1 variant (Gamma; Brazil) cases: 203 (No change)
- Number of B.1.617.2 variant (Delta; India) cases: 1,614 (1,561 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.
The chart above was published in the September issue of the AARP Bulletin. It is based on information from the article, “Vital Statistics: Provisional Life Expectancy Estimates for 2020,” which was published by the CDC.
FINDING INFORMATION:
The State lists information on where to get vaccinated, where to get tested, and what to do if you test positive or were exposed to COVID on their website.
COVID-19 SYMPTOMS – Updated early September 2021
Concerns continue to grow for the Delta variant of COVID-19, which now accounts for 93% of all new COVID-19 infections. Descriptions of symptoms have been updated:
Ranking of Symptoms for Covid-19 Infection in the Unvaccinated
- Headache
- Sore Throat
- Runny Nose
- Fever
- Persistent cough
Loss of smell now comes in at number 9, and shortness of breath is way down the list at number 30.
Ranking of Symptoms for Covid-19 Infection in the Partially Vaccinated
- Headache
- Runny Nose
- Sore throat
- Sneezing
- Persistent Cough
Sneezing, which was never thought to be a symptom in the original Covid strain, is now ranked more common than a cough, for a reported symptom in those with only one dose of the vaccine.
Ranking of Symptoms for Covid-19 Infection in the Fully Vaccinated
- Headache
- Runny Nose
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Loss of smell
A cough ranks 8 on the list for fully vaccinated people, and a fever ranks 12. Shortness of breath is way down the list at number 29.
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 breakthrough infections have a cough, headache, sore throat, myalgia and fever.
- NBC says approximately 1 in 900 vaccinated people have had breakthrough infections. The vast majority of those had mild or no symptoms.
A new study shows that unvaccinated people are 17x more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than people who are fully vaccinated.
Useful links
- Salem Resource Center of Southern NH Services: Housing relief and fuel assistance. 603-893-9172. https://www.snhs.org
- Legal issues because of COVID: https://nhlegalaid.org/legal-issues-during-covid-19-crisis
- Food pantries: https://www.foodpantries.org/ci/nh-salem and http://www.wecarecharity.org/projects
- Unemployment resources: https://www.bonnie4salem.us/unemployed/
- COVID-19 testing: https://business.nh.gov/DOS_COVID19Testing/
- COVID-19 tests: https://www.bonnie4salem.us/covid-19-testing/ (Hasn’t been updated lately)
- Complications of COVID-19: https://www.bonnie4salem.us/covid-19-consequences/
- COVID-19 is not the flu. Here are the numbers: https://www.bonnie4salem.us/covid-pneumonia-flu/
- The Science Behind Masks: https://www.bonnie4salem.us/science-behind-masks/
- Resources for Salem residents: https://www.bonnie4salem.us/covid-19-cases-in-salem/
- Safer at Home guidance documents on the State’s website.
- Other COVID resources from NH DHHS on the State’s website.
- Other COVID resources: https://www.bonnie4salem.us/covid-19-resources/
- Mental health resources
- NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Health. 24-hour hotline: 1-800-950-6264. https://www.nami.org/Home
- Center for Life Management (603) 434-1577, Option 1. https://www.centerforlifemanagement.org/
- #SuicideAwareness: 1-800-273-8255.
- Vaccines: https://www.vaccines.nh.gov/?vaccinated
Sources used to create these reports: