Four deaths reported at the NH Veterans Home

TILTON — A COVID-19 outbreak at the New Hampshire Veterans Home has killed four residents and dozens of others have tested positive for the virus, Commandant Margaret D. LaBrecque said Monday.

A total of 41 residents and 40 staff members have been diagnosed with the disease.

Despite precautions, the virus has spread rapidly since the first case was diagnosed at the home two weeks ago.

“We’re having a hard time figuring out how it is being spread,” LaBrecque said. ”Someone will test negative on Friday and positive over the weekend. It’s difficult to nail down.

“Every year we have the regular flu and we’re normally able to contain it. This is a lot more nefarious. We’re not having an easy time.”

Three residents and four staff members have recovered.

Symptoms among residents include a high temperature and a non-productive cough. There are 135 residents and 280 staff. Admissions stopped for a time during the pandemic.

No visitors have been allowed. The virus was likely brought into the home unknowingly by a staff member who contracted it in the community.

Residents are being kept in their rooms and prevented from congregating in an effort to halt the spread of the virus.

The residents are elderly and many of them have underlying conditions that make them more vulnerable to the disease. Veterans homes have been hard hit elsewhere. Fourteen people died at the Maine Veterans’ Home in Scarborough in April.

The National Guard has been testing everyone at the home weekly and rapid tests are available. Blood oxygen levels are being closely monitored.

On Monday, New Hampshire Health and Human Services reported 445 new positive test results for the virus, including 28 from Belknap County.

There are now 4,304 current COVID-19 cases in the state.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 18,042 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed with 831 of those having been hospitalized. There have been 512 deaths.