What to do if you're worried about exposure

LACONIA — State and federal health officials offer the same basic advice to people who develop a fever and respiratory illness — stay home and away from others and call a healthcare provider.

Testing is available for coronavirus, but only through a physician.

Dr. Benjamin Chan, New Hampshire’s state epidemiologist, said in a news release that providers who see such patients will screen them, including questions about any recent travel, and will order testing, if needed, through the state’s Public Health Laboratories.

Gov. Chris Sununu said Thursday residents with questions or concerns surrounding the outbreak can also call 211.

As of 9 a.m. Thursday, six people in New Hampshire have tested positive for the disease, also called COVID-19, out of 121 people tested, according to the state Health and Human Services Department. A total of 94 have tested negative. Tests are pending for others.

“As we implement the COVID-19 test at our Public Health Laboratories, and given the global expansion of the COVID-19 epidemic, we expect more testing to take place in the coming weeks as we work to identify infections and prevent spread in our communities,” Chan said.

So far, the state has not identified widespread transmission of the disease in the state nor individuals who test positive without clearly identified risk factors, such as travel to countries suffering an outbreak or contact with someone who has the disease.

Medical officials say the overwhelming majority of those who come down with the disease survive it. Risks groups are the elderly and those with significant underlying medical conditions, including lung disease.   

Kate Spiner, acting as a spokeswoman for state public health officials, directed questions about the public health issue to published statements by the state Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The sixth positive test in New Hampshire was reported by the state Thursday.

The CDC said on its website Thursday that 1,215 cases of the disease have been reported in the United States, with 36 deaths.

A total of 3,791 specimens have been tested by the CDC and 7,288 by U.S. public health laboratories. Worldwide, at least 118,000 have caught the disease and 4,300 have died, according to the World Health Organization.

The health insurance industry has made a commitment to waive patient co-payments or deductibles for coronavirus tests. That commitment doesn’t extend to other tests, such as X-rays or CT scans, or treatment.

Availability of tests for COVID-19 in the United States has been a controversial topic.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said other countries have done a much better job on testing.

“On testing, when you look at the experience in China, you look at the experience in South Korea, what changed the trajectory of the incline of the number of cases? It was a tremendous amount of testing and investigation,” he said in published reports.

“China, 200,000 tests per day. South Korea, 15,000 tests per day. They were so aggressive on testing that they actually identified the people who tested positive, isolated them and then ran down the track of who those people may have contacted. Massive testing.”

The CDC has advised travelers from China, Iran, Italy and South Korea to stay home and monitor their health and limit interactions with others for 14 days after returning to the United States.

Other advice:

• Stay home and avoid public places when sick.

• Cover mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing.

• Wash hands frequently.

• Avoid being within 6 feet of a person who is sick.

• Avoid sharing drinks, smoking/vaping devices, or other utensils or objects that may transmit saliva.

• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

• Practice social distancing.