Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP Board of Health member Stephanie Wolf-Rosenblum makes a point while addressing attendees at Wednesday's meeting. Looking on are Department of Public Health and Community Services director Bobbie Bagley and board chairman Anthony Storace. (Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP)

NASHUA — Being the number one state in the nation in just about any category would normally be something for its residents to celebrate with pride.

But there’s at least one category in which states much prefer being ranked at the bottom: The list showing the number of new cases per capita of the COVID-19 virus.

Unfortunately, New Hampshire attained that dubious distinction just last Friday, based on an analysis of the most recent data that shows the state had an average of 975 new COVID cases per day over one 7-day period in November, an alarming 38% increase over the previous average, according to a report issued Wednesday at the Nashua Board of Health’s monthly meeting.

The majority of Wednesday’s nearly two-hour meeting, over which the three-member Board of Health and the Department of Public Health and Community Services director Bobbi Bagley presided, was devoted to public input on the historically volatile subject of mask mandates, which has resurfaced in light of the recent surge in cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

The board invited public comment as it ponders whether to make a recommendation of some type to the Board of Aldermen regarding COVID-19 prevention, given the recent sharp rise in cases in Nashua.

In the end, members opted to take some time to digest the input before crafting a recommendation to the aldermen. That decision will likely be made, and reported, within the next week.

For now, the board’s message, according to chairman Anthony Storace, is “in light of the current COVID situation, we, the Board of Health, highly recommends that people get vaccinated, wear masks, practice social distancing and wash their hands.”

A full story, with more details on the numbers and speakers’ comments, will appear in The Sunday Telegraph.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.