Wearing proper PPE saves two RPD officers from a mandatory quarantine

The officers names were not provided due to privacy protocols. (Courtesy photo)

CONCORD - Rochester's Emergency Operations Center chief said on Monday that two Rochester Police officers had interactions last week with a person suspected of being positive for COVID-19, but since the officers were wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment at the time, were able to avoid having to isolate.

"We looked into it, and found that they had the proper PPE," Rochester EOC and Fire Chief Mark Klose said.

The EOC at the Rochester City Hall Annex physically shut down last month, but Klose continues his duties as EOC director.

He said he couldn't reveal the two officers' names or the nature of the interaction with the person thought to have possibly contracted the virus. He also confirmed that to his knowledge no Rochester police or firefighters had yet contracted the virus during the pandemic.

Klose also confirmed that Rochester, which had zero cases of COVID-19 last week, now had one as of Monday.

He said he couldn't explain why the state COVID-19 map shows Rochester with eight current cases of the virus.

Klose confirmed he gets daily updates from the state on addresses in the city where either a person who has the virus or who is quarantining due to contact with a person suspected of having the virus lives. He said as of Monday there was only one person at one address.

Klose said he could not reveal what state entity releases the addresses.

The disparity was shown to have a direct effect on city government as last week city councilors decided to not end remote meetings of the City Council due to Rochester being the COVID-19 hot spot in Strafford County.

Meanwhile, the state's DHHS on Monday announced 16 new positive test results for COVID-19, including another three under the age of 18.

No new hospitalizations or deaths were identified due to the virus. Current hospitalizations stand at 24.

Current Situation in New Hampshire

Persons with COVID-19 6,068

Recovered 5,056 (83%)

Deaths Attributed to COVID-19 391 (6%)

Total Current COVID-19 Cases 621

Persons Who Have Been Hospitalized for COVID-19 589 (10%)

Current Hospitalizations 24

Being Monitored in NH (approximate point in time) 3,550