FILE - This 2020 electron microscope image provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - Rocky Mountain Laboratories shows SARS-CoV-2 virus particles which causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the U.S., emerging from the surface of cells cultured in a lab. On Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, the top U.S. public health agency said that coronavirus can spread greater distances through the air than 6 feet, particularly in poorly ventilated and enclosed spaces. But agency officials continued to say such spread is uncommon, and current social distancing guidelines still make sense. (NIAID-RML via AP)

CONCORD – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) COVID-19 update for Sunday shows 491 new positive test results, down considerably from Saturday’s total of 702 new cases.

Sunday’s total includes 258 people who tested positive by PCR test and 233 who tested positive by antigen test.

There are now 4,995 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire.

Of the results reported today – Sunday – 259 new positive test results are from Friday. The Friday cases announced today, combined with those announced Saturday, results in a daily PCR test positivity rate of 5.2%.

Today’s cases also include 232 new positive test results from Saturday. Test results received Saturday are still being processed and the total number of new positives for that day is not yet complete. Updated case counts for prior days will be reflected on the COVID-19 interactive dashboard.

Several cases are still under investigation. Additional information from ongoing investigations will be incorporated into future COVID-19 updates.

Of those with complete information, there are 62 individuals under age 18, and the rest are adults with 47% being female and 53% being male.

The new cases reside in Rockingham (142), Hillsborough County other than Manchester and Nashua (91), Merrimack (47), Strafford (28), Carroll (14), Cheshire (14), Belknap (13), Grafton (13), Sullivan (6), and Coos (5) counties, and in the cities of Manchester (54) and Nashua (41). The county of residence is being determined for 23 new cases.

Community-based transmission continues to occur in the state and has been identified in all counties. Of those with complete risk information, most of the cases have either had close contact with a person with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis or are associated with an outbreak setting.

DHHS has also announced three additional deaths related to COVID-19: Two are males, from Rockingham and Belknap counties, and one is a female from Coos County. All are age 60 or older.

There are currently 146 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 statewide.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 20,480 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in New Hampshire, 839, or 4%, of whom have been hospitalized.

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