Dec. 24 NH DHHS COVID-19 update: 417 positive results with 50 in Manchester; 13 deaths reported

Note: There will be no daily update on Friday, December 25 in observance of the Christmas holiday. The next daily update will be issued on Saturday, December 26.

CONCORD, NH – On Thursday, December 24, 2020, DHHS announced 417 new positive test results for COVID-19, for a daily PCR test positivity rate of 5.8%. Today’s case count is lower than expected due to implementation of a new data process and will be updated in the next daily update on Saturday, 12/26. Today’s results include 368 people who tested positive by PCR test and 49 who tested positive by antigen test. There are now 5,888 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire. Of the results reported today:

• 12/19: 29 new cases today, for an updated total of 747 cases
• 12/20: 14 new cases today, for an updated total of 546 cases
• 12/21: 2 new cases today, for an updated total of 439 cases
• 12/22: 114 new cases today, for an updated total of 428 cases
• 12/23: 258 new cases

Test results for previous days are still being processed and the total number of new positives for those days are not yet complete. Updated case counts for prior days will be reflected on the COVID-19 interactive dashboard.

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 thirty-two individuals under the age of 18 and the rest are adults with 50% being female and 50% being male. The new cases reside in Rockingham (97), Strafford (58), Hillsborough County other than Manchester and Nashua (55), Merrimack (45), Belknap (33), Cheshire (13), Carroll (10), Grafton (9), Sullivan (5), and Coos (3) counties, and in the cities of Manchester (50) and Nashua (27). The county of residence is being determined for twelve new cases.

Community-based transmission continues to occur in the State and has been identified in all counties. Of those with complete risk information, most of the cases are either associated with an outbreak setting or have had close contact with a person with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis.

DHHS has also announced 13 additional deaths related to COVID-19.

• 1 male resident of Belknap County, 60 years of age and older
• 2 male residents of Hillsborough County, 60 years of age and older
• 7 female residents of Hillsborough County, 60 years of age and older
• 3 male residents of Merrimack County, 60 years of age and older

There are currently 298 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. In New Hampshire since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 38,902 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed with 894 (2%) of those having been hospitalized.

Current Situation in New Hampshire

New Hampshire 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Summary Report
(updated December 24, 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, 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.

 Number of Tests Conducted by Date of Report to NH DHHS

* Includes out-of-state public health laboratories, out-of-state hospital laboratories, and other commercial laboratories not already listed in the table.

Note: Patients who had both antibody and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are accounted for in both tables.

** Includes tests conducted at the UNH laboratory and their contracted lab Veritas.