Community transmission risk grows, positivity rate up, 20 cases in Plymouth academy

CONCORD — There is substantial community spread of COVID-19 in seven counties, including Belknap, and 20 people have contracted the virus at the Mount Prospect Academy in Plymouth, state health officials said in a news conference Thursday.

Dr. Benjamin Chan, the state epidemiologist, announced a record 252 new daily cases, but said an issue with a lab boosted that number by 50. He also said there have been two new deaths, bringing the death count to 486. A total of 44 people are hospitalized.

Belknap County has 51 active cases, the most since the pandemic began. 

Statewide, there are 1,546 active cases and the percentage of positive tests, which has hovered around 1 percent for months, is now at 1.8 percent.

“We know that when community transmission increases at that point, you increase the number of people who potentially are introducing it into various businesses and organizations,” Chan said.

Grafton County has 74 active cases.

The Mount Prospect Academy describes itself as an academic and residential program for 85 male students ranging from 11 to 21 years who have emotional problems and learning disorders. The outbreak involves nine residents and 11 staff members.

John Fulp, the superintendent and director of operations at the academy, said Friday that those who tested positive have had minimal symptoms. Isolation and quarantine protocols have been instituted.

"We're doing well," he said. "People are in good spirits. We've seen minimal to no symptoms with any of our folks and the team has been amazing here, pulling together and keeping the kids not only safe but entertained. In the situation, it's the best possible scenario we could ask for."

He praised representatives of the Department of Health and Human Services for their help and support. 

Change of pattern

Chan said there has been a change in the pattern of the disease. Fewer cases are being seen at long term care facilities and more are associated with people catching the virus while out and about in the community.

He encouraged people to be diligent about wearing facial coverings, maintain social distancing and avoid crowds. An upsurge in the disease has long been expected as people move indoors with the colder weather, as schools reopen and as people grow tired of taking precautions or simply don’t want to or don't believe it is necessary to wear a mask to protect others.

Contract tracers have been busy investigating where people caught the disease, including restaurants, churches, schools, businesses, retail, manufacturing and nonprofit organizations.

Within the past month, the state Health and Human Services Department has announced community exposures at restaurants in Concord, Hudson, Atkinson, Lincoln, Portsmouth and Peterborough.

After closing restaurants to indoor dining rooms early in the pandemic, the state allowed them to reopen on June 15 with some social distancing, barriers and face mask precautions. Restaurant patrons are encouraged to wear masks when not seated.

Chan said the decision on whether to eat indoors at a restaurant involves a “spectrum of risk.”

“Eating indoors is probably more risky than eating outdoors, which is more risky than getting takeout and eating at home,” he said.

“A lot of the announcements we have made relative to restaurant exposures have actually been related to restaurant bars and bar exposures. That continues to be one of the higher risk settings, where exposure can occur and where transmission has been seen, not only in New Hampshire, but around the country.”

In New Hampshire since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 11,808 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed with 788 of those having been hospitalized.