Staff reports 7:20 a.m.
Wednesday, March 4, 2020 7:21 am

New Hampshire's first coronavirus patient left their voluntary isolation to attend an event in Vermont and is thought to have infected another individual with whom they had close contact, health officials say.

Health officials believe both of them attended a business-themed event at the Engine Room, a function hall in White River Junction.

The first patient was an employee of Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center who recently returned from Italy.

The Engine Room tweeted on Tuesday that health officials in Vermont and New Hampshire had advised them to thoroughly clean the facility before their next public event, but there was no need to shut the place down.

Officials say more coronavirus infections may be found as a result of the first infected individual's actions, including others who may have attended the event, which was tied to the Tuck School of Business, a graduate school affiliated with Dartmouth College.

Those who did attend are being told to stay voluntarily quarantined for two weeks.

"We expect additional cases may be identified that are related to this investigation," New Hampshire health officials said in a Tuesday press release.