COVID-19 Update March 26

COVID-19 Update March 26

  • Total: 2,598 confirmed cases in Salem. 
  • Salem today: 13 new case; 94 active cases.
  • 1 out of every 11 Salem residents has been infected
  • Salem’s new cases per 100K for 14 days: 510
  • Salem’s Positivity Rate for the past 2 weeks: 9.7%

• • • • • • Report from NH Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS) • • • • • • 

On Friday, March 26, 2021, DHHS announced 389 new positive test results for COVID-19, for a current PCR test positivity rate of 2.9%. Today’s results include 203 people who tested positive by PCR test and 186 who tested positive by antigen test. There are now 2,718 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire. Of the results reported today: 

  • 3/25: 389 new cases 

Several cases are still under investigation. Additional information from ongoing investigations will be incorporated into future COVID-19 updates. 

• • • • • • TODAY’S SUMMARY • • • • • •

  • Today the ratio changed for Salem residents. Now 1 out of 11 every Salem residents has been infected with COVID-19. Cases per residents is determined by dividing Salem’s population (29,792) by the number of confirmed cases (2,598).  If we divide cases by population, we have the percentage: 8.7%.
  • We will get to 1:10, or 10%, if we reach 2,979 total cases. (Let’s not go there!) 
  • As the case count grows higher, the ratio grows slower. I’ve explained this in more detail at https://www.bonnie4salem.us/ratios-for-covid-19/
  • These are confirmed cases. There is no way of knowing how many unconfirmed cases we have had. 
  • Some folks say “I don’t know that many people who have had COVID. Based on some of the correspondence that I’ve had, I know some people are afraid of the stigma, and are only sharing their diagnosis on a need-to-know basis. Others aren’t tested if they have the symptoms, and another family member has tested positive. 
  • Salem added 13 new cases today, bringing our total to 2,598 Salem residents who have had confirmed case of COVID-19.
  • Salem’s active cases has decreased by 4 since yesterday to 94. Salem had 87 active cases one week ago. 
  • Salem’s new cases per 100K residents is 510. Yesterday it was 490. One week ago, it was 409.
  • Salem’s positivity rate for PCR & antigen results in the past week is 9.7%, a “moderate” level of community transmission. Yesterday it was 8.8%. One week ago, it was 8.3%.
  • Today the new cases “by math” (yesterday vs. today’s cumulative total of positive cases as reported by DHHS) was 335. NH reported 471 people have “recovered” since yesterday’s update. After allowing for those who lost their lives today because of COVID-19, NH’s number of active cases went down by 138 to 2,718. That’s 297 more active cases than we had a week ago.
  • NH has had 316.9 new cases per 100K residents in the past 14 days. Yesterday it was 312.1. One week ago, it was 280.4.
  •  NH’s positivity rate for PCR & antigen results in the past week is 4.6%. Yesterday it was 4.4%. One week ago, it was 3.8%.
  • NH’s positivity rate for PCR results returned today is 2.9%. Yesterday it was 2.0%. A week ago, it was 2.5%.
  • DHHS is reporting a total of 1,198 people who have been hospitalized as of today because of COVID-19.  This is an increase of 4 since yesterday’s update, and an increase of 17 since last week. There were no new cases today from Rockingham County, leaving our county’s total at 267.
  • The number of patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19 is 71 which is 11 less than yesterday, and 8 more than a week ago. 
  • The cumulative total of ICU admissions is unchanged for the period covered by this report, for a total of 362. We have seen an increase of 2 ICU admissions in the past seven days. There has not been a change in this count for two days.
  • Today NH DHHS reported that there were 2 lives lost for the period covered by this report, for a total of 1,231 people who have died in NH due to COVID-19. We have lost 14 people in NH due to COVID-19 in the past week. Today’s numbers include no one who died from Rockingham County, for a total of 224 lives lost in our county.

• • • • • • Communities • • • • • •

  • DHHS reports that the new cases reside in the following counties: 
    Rockingham (112), Hillsborough County other than Manchester and Nashua (78), Strafford (35), Merrimack (25), Belknap (12), Coos (12), Grafton (11), Carroll (6), Cheshire (6), and Sullivan (2) counties, and in the cities of Manchester (36) and Nashua (31). The county of residence is being determined for twenty-three new cases. 
  • Cumulative Cases
    • There are now 157 communities that have had 50 or more total cases, 121 that have had 100 or more cases, 33 that have had 500 or more cases, 20 have had more than 1,000, and 4 have had more than 2,500.
    • Three communities — Manchester (10,378), Nashua (6,863) and Concord (2,663) — have more cumulative cases than Salem’s 2,598. Derry and Hudson also have more than 2,000 total cases.
  • Active Cases
    • There are 3 NH communities with more than 100 active cases. Between them, these communities have 549 active cases, accounting for 20% of all active cases. 
    • There are 12 NH communities with more than 50 active cases. Between them, these communities have 1,136 active cases, accounting for 42% of all active cases. 
    • Four communities — Manchester (234), Nashua (206) and Durham (109) have more active cases than Salem’s 94.  

• • • • • • Ratios • • • • • •

  • Of communities with more than 10,000 residents and high ratios of cases per population:
    • Durham = 1:9
    • Manchester and Salem = 1:11
    • Windham, Goffstown, Pelham and Hudson= 1:12
    • Bedford and Nashua = 1:13
    • Derry, Hooksett, Londonderry and Hampton = 1:14
    • Hampton = 1:15
    • Milford = 1:15
  • Of communities with less than 10,000 residents and high ratios of cases per population:
    • Waterville Valley: 1:7
    • Stewartstown: 1:9
    • Plymouth: 1:10
    • Tilton: 1:12
    • Plaistow and Clarksville = 1:13
    • Candia, Auburn, Hampstead, Brookfield, Litchfield and Seabrook = 1:14
    • Sandown, Meredith, Epsom, Atkinson and Allenstown = 1:15

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

  • New positive cases by my math (Total of today’s cases minus previous total): 335
  • New positive cases per DHHS: 389
  • Percentage of today’s PCR tests that are positive per DHHS: 2.9%
  • Total people who have tested positive: 82,374
  • New negative results reported: 1,064
  • Total Negative Results: 572,192

• • • • • • ROCKINGHAM COUNTY • • • •, • •

  • Total cases in Rockingham County: 20,407
  • New cases in Rockingham County: 112
  • Rockingham County Positivity Rate: 7.2%

• • • • • • CHANGES BY AGES • • • • • •  

  • 67 children under 18 are included in today’s new cases.
  • 17.2% of new cases announced by DHHS today are kids under 18 years old.

(Totals, showing changes in new cases since yesterday for those under 60.)

  • 0-9: 5% of Total cases: 4032 (+22); Hospitalizations: 7; Deaths: 0
  • 10-19: 12% of Total cases: 9561 (+57); Hospitalizations: 9; Deaths: 0
  • 20-29: 20% of Total cases: 16315 (+77); Hospitalizations: 28; Deaths: 1
  • 30-39: 14% of Total cases: 11935 (+61); Hospitalizations: 48 (+1); Deaths: 5
  • 40-49: 13% of Total cases: 10862 (+52); Hospitalizations: 89; Deaths: 10 (+1)
  • 50-59: 16% of Total cases: 12960 (+40); Hospitalizations: 151 (+1); Deaths: 25
  • 60-69: 10% of Total cases: 8518 (+21); Hospitalizations: 284; Deaths: 106
  • 70-79: 5% of Total cases: 4385 (+3); Hospitalizations: 295; Deaths: 281
  • 80+: 5% of Total cases: 3737 (+5); Hospitalizations: 287; Deaths: 803
  • Unknown: 0% of Total cases: 69 (+-3); Hospitalizations: 0; Deaths: 0

• • • • • • ACTIVE CASES • • • • • •                          

  • Active cases in NH: 2,718
  • Active cases in Rockingham County: 742

• • • • • • RECOVERED • • • • • •

  • Recovered today: 471
  • Total recovered: 78,425
  • Percentage of diagnosed cases that have recovered: 95.2% 

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

  • Currently hospitalized: 71
  • New people hospitalized from NH: 4
  • Total hospitalized patients: 1,198
  • Percentage of those who have been infected that have been hospitalized: 1.45%
  • Total admitted to ICU: 362
  • New hospitalized patients from Rockingham County: 0
  • Total hospitalized patients from Rockingham County: 267

• • • • • • DEATHS IN NH • • • • • • 

  • Lives lost today: 2
  • Persons over 60 years of age who died today: 1
  • Persons under 60 years of age who died today: 1
  • Total fatalities in NH associated with COVID-19: 1,231
  • NH Residents diagnosed with COVID-19 that died: 1.49%
  • Lives lost in Rockingham County today: 0
  • Total lives lost in Rockingham County: 224

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.


Hello, Salem!

Enjoy the weekend, but remember we are not out of the woods yet. We hit 1:11 today; for every 11 people in Salem, one person has been confirmed to be infected with COVID-19. Let’s not get to 1:10. Please stay safe, and always, be kind.

~Bonnie











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