COVID-19 Update August 21

COVID-19 Update August 21 … Update #140!

Total: 293 confirmed cases in Salem
1 out of every 101 Salem residents has been infected.
Salem Today: 0 new cases, 11 active cases.

• • • • TODAY’S SPOTLIGHT• • • • • •

There were only 24 new cases in NH today, but fortunately, none were in Salem.
For the past 11 days, Salem has bounced between 10 and 11 active cases.
NH DHHS reported 3,095 new test results today. That seems excessively high, but could reflect college kids returning to school? The daily average for the previous week is only 1,200 results returned.
There is something odd going on with the total number of patients who have been hospitalized with COVID-19. Today, NH Department of Human Services reported that the total number of NH residents that have been hospitalized with COVID-19 is 709. Yesterday, that number was 710, and two days ago that number was 712. I have no explanation as to why that cumulative number would be going down.
Also odd: NH DHHS has reported no new hospitalizations for the past three days, but the number of current hospitalizations went from 12 to 11, but then up to 14 today.
We seem to be in a holding pattern, with very little shift in our numbers. It would be nice if they could just disappear, but they are stubbornly holding on.
Effective immediately, all NH restaurants are now allowed to operate at 100% capacity for indoor dining, providing tables are six feet apart. All other public health guidelines remain in effect.
Salem School District SAU 57 has issued new COVID-19 rules, which can be viewed here.

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

New positive cases per DHHS: 24
My new positive cases (Total of today’s cases minus yesterday’s total): 21
Children under 18 in new cases: 2
Total positive cases in NH: 7,071
Percentage of today’s tests that are positive: .68%
Active cases: 258
Percentage of positive cases that are still active: 3.6%
New cases in Rockingham County: 5
Total cases in Rockingham County: 1,747
Percent of all cases from either Hillsborough County or Rockingham County: 81%
Total PCR tests results reported today (Positive results plus negative results): 3,095
The daily average of diagnostic (PCR) tests reported from 7 days ago to today: 1,343
New negative PCR cases in NH: 3,074
Total negative cases in NH: 185,706

• • • • • OTHER TEST RESULTS • • • • • •

New antibody tests: 140
Total antibody tests (No break down of positive vs. negative): 29,064
The daily average of antibody tests reported from 7 days ago to today: 87
Children diagnosed with MIS-C: (as of 5/22/2020): 1

• • • • • RECOVERED IN NH • • • • • •

Announced today: 18
Total Recovered: 6,385
Percentage of diagnosed cases that have recovered: 90.3%

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

New: 0 per press release; negative 1 per total count.
Current: 14
Total Hospitalized: 709. (Was 710 yesterday, 712 two days ago.)
Percentage of those who have been infected that have been hospitalized: 10.03%
Percentage of those who have been hospitalized that are still in the hospital: 2.0%

• • • • • 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: 428
NH Residents diagnosed with COVID-19 that died: 6.1%
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.

The first COVID-19 diagnosis in the US was January 20 — 215 days ago. Back in early April, Salem residents were concerned about COVID-19. We were asking questions, and our elected officials in Salem weren’t answering our questions. We were getting frustrated in the lack of transparency. I decided to do some digging, to try to answer the questions that I had, which turned out to be the same questions that other Salem residents had, too.

I started to share my findings in these COVID-19 updates on April 4. At the time, I thought this would be a short-term commitment … maybe a month or so. How wrong I was! This update makes 140 consecutive days.

I know some people are tired of seeing these reports. Heck, I’m tired of them, too! But this virus keeps lingering on. Many Salem residents have told me that these reports are important to them, even when the numbers are low, like they have been lately. When we hear such alarming reports from other parts of the country, they find comfort when the numbers are low, seeing that it hasn’t impacted us. And so, for them, the updates continue.

These low numbers can only go one of two ways: They can go down to nothing or they can go up. Let’s keep them down. We can do it! You know the rules: Enjoy the weekend, but stay safe, and always, be kind!

~Bonnie

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