Dec. 29 NH DHHS COVID-19 update: 1,029 positive results with 128 in Manchester; 20 deaths reported

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COVID Overview 9


CONCORD, NH – On Tuesday, December 29, 2020, DHHS announced 1,029 new positive test results for COVID-19, for a current PCR test positivity rate of 7.3%. Today’s results include 630 people who tested positive by PCR test and 399 who tested positive by antigen test. There are now 5,883 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire. Of the results reported today:

  • 12/23: 99 new cases today, for an updated total of 1,119 cases
  • 12/24: 2 new cases today, for an updated total of 744 cases
  • 12/26: 9 new cases today, for an updated total of 487 cases
  • 12/27: 435 new cases today, for an updated total of 537 cases
  • 12/28: 484 new cases

Test results for previous days are still being processed and the total number of new positives for those days are 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 one hundred and twenty-five individuals under the age of 18 and the rest are adults with 52% being female and 48% being male. The new cases reside in Rockingham (252), Hillsborough County other than Manchester and Nashua (182), Merrimack (105), Strafford (85), Belknap (54), Carroll (22), Grafton (21), Coos (18), Sullivan (10), and Cheshire (9) counties, and in the cities of Manchester (128) and Nashua (87). The county of residence is being determined for fifty-six 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 are either associated with an outbreak setting or have had close contact with a person with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis.

DHHS has also announced 20 additional deaths related to COVID-19. We offer our sympathies to the family and friends.

  • 2 female residents of Belknap County, 60 years of age and older
  • 6 female residents of Hillsborough County, 60 years of age and older
  • 4 male residents of Hillsborough County, 60 years of age and older
  • 1 male resident of Merrimack County, 60 years of age and older
  • 2 female residents of Rockingham County, 60 years of age and older
  • 1 male resident of Rockingham County, 60 years of age and older
  • 3 female residents of Strafford County, 60 years of age and older
  • 1 male resident of Strafford County, 60 years of age and older

There are currently 295 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. In New Hampshire since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 42,697 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed with 901 (2%) of those having been hospitalized.


Current Situation in New Hampshire

New Hampshire 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Summary Report (updated December 29, 2020, 9 a.m.)

NH Persons with COVID-19 42,697
Recovered 36,079 (85%)
Deaths Attributed to COVID-19 735 (2%)
Total Current COVID-19 Cases 5,883
Persons Who Have Been Hospitalized for COVID-19 901 (2%)
Current Hospitalizations 295
Total Persons Tested at Selected Laboratories, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) (see 2 below) 507,929
Total Persons Tested at Selected Laboratories, Antibody Laboratory Tests (see 2 below) 34,597
Persons with Specimens Submitted to NH PHL 62,777
Persons with Test Pending at NH PHL (see 3 below) 312

1 Includes specimens positive at any laboratory and those confirmed by CDC confirmatory testing.

2 Includes specimens tested at the NH Public Health Laboratories (PHL), LabCorp, Quest, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and those sent to CDC prior to NH PHL testing capacity.

3 Includes specimens received and awaiting testing at NH PHL. Does not include tests pending at commercial laboratories.

Number of Tests Conducted by Date of Report to NH DHHS

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Tests
Testing Laboratory 12/22 12/23 12/24 12/25 12/26 12/27 12/28 Daily Average
NH Public Health Laboratories 801 1,288 1,584 0 708 529 413 760
LabCorp 1,479 1,360 1,651 370 607 2,337 993 1,257
Quest Diagnostics 1,186 1,323 1,424 1,412 775 1,011 422 1,079
Mako Medical 90 1,021 529 695 65 69 0 353
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center 574 920 823 586 114 322 107 492
Other NH Hospital Laboratory 671 680 422 188 431 351 346 441
Other Laboratory* 1,829 2,132 2,117 473 1,079 785 1,125 1,363
University of New Hampshire** 1,860 13 11 0 1 0 1,206 442
Total 8,490 8,737 8,561 3,724 3,780 5,404 4,612 6,187
Antibody Laboratory Tests
Testing Laboratory 12/22 12/23 12/24 12/25 12/26 12/27 12/28 Daily Average
LabCorp 19 24 18 10 1 3 0 11
Quest Diagnostics 25 26 28 2 0 0 11 13
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center 6 6 3 0 5 0 1 3
Other Laboratory* 11 16 6 0 15 0 9 8
Total 61 72 55 12 21 3 21 35

* Includes out-of-state public health laboratories, out-of-state hospital laboratories, and other commercial laboratories not already listed in the table.

Note: Patients who had both antibody and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are accounted for in both tables.

** Includes tests conducted at the UNH laboratory and their contracted lab Veritas.

About this Author

NH Department of Health and Human Services