New cases see largest spike in a week, but life (and new restaurant) goes on

JUST DUCKY; Even on the brink of a potential recession and amid a pandemic, one intrepid restaurateur decided now is the perfect time to open an eatery. See story in Wine and Dine section. (Courtesy The Laughing Duck)

CONCORD - Confirmed COVID-19 cases statewide spiked up again on Friday after almost a week of trending down.

The 66 news cases are the highest since the single-day high of 81 was recorded a week ago. There are now 885 cases in New Hampshire.

The new cases are all are adults with 48 percent female and 52 percent male. The new cases reside in Rockingham (29), Hillsborough County other than Manchester and Nashua (12), Strafford (4), Merrimack (3), Cheshire (3), Coos (1), and Carroll (1) counties, and in the cities of Manchester (8) and Nashua (5).

Seven new COVID-19-related hospitalizations were reported; thus far, 134 (15%) of the 885 positive cases have been hospitalized. Only 9 percent of the new cases have no identified risk factors meaning community-based transmission continues to increase in the state.

DHHS also announced one additional death related to COVID-19 on Friday, a female resident of Hillsborough County over 60 with no underlying health conditions.

Meanwhile, Rochester public information officer during the pandemic, John Guilfoil of John Guilfoil Public Relations, told The Rochester Voice on Friday that the city has just two confirmed coronavirus cases, which contradicts the state map released daily. The map shows Rochester with 5-9 cases.

Guilfoil said he couldn't say whether or not one of the confirmed cases the city has seen was that of City Councilor Doug Lachance, who recovered from a COVID-19 illness last month after spemding several days in a Boston hospital.

The state's Joint Information Center was not immediately available for comment on the number disparity.

More New Hampshire COVID-19 numbers

NH Persons with COVID-19 885

Recovered 234 (26%)

Deaths Attributed to COVID-19 22 (2%)

Total Current COVID-19 Cases 629

Persons Who Have Been Hospitalized for COVID-19 134 (15%)

Persons Being Monitored in NH (approximate point in time) 3,350