Jan. 2 NH DHHS COVID-19 update: 1,178 positive results with 101 in Manchester; 10 deaths reported

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COVID Overview 12


CONCORD, NH – On Saturday, January 2, 2021, DHHS announced 1,178 new positive test results for COVID-19, for a current PCR test positivity rate of 9.3%. Today’s results include 790 people who tested positive by PCR test and 388 who tested positive by antigen test. There are now 6,468 current COVID-19 cases diagnosed in New Hampshire. Of the results reported today:

  • 12/27: 28 new cases today, for an updated total of 607 cases
  • 12/28: 32 new case today, for an updated total of 591 cases
  • 12/29: 28 new cases today, for an updated total of 843 cases
  • 12/30: 712 new cases today, for an updated total of 886 cases
  • 12/31: 378 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 150 individuals under the age of 18 and the rest are adults with 53% being female and 47% being male. The new cases reside in Hillsborough County other than Manchester and Nashua (234), Rockingham (212), Strafford (131), Merrimack (115), Cheshire (56), Grafton (50), Belknap (47), Coos (32), Sullivan (21), and Carroll (16) counties, and in the cities of Nashua (121) and Manchester (101). The county of residence is being determined for forty-two 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 10 additional deaths related to COVID-19.

  • 2 male residents of Belknap County, 60 years of age and older
  • 5 female residents of Hillsborough County, 60 years of age and older
  • 1 male resident of Hillsborough County, 60 years of age and older
  • 1 male resident of Merrimack County, 60 years of age and older
  • 1 female resident of Rockingham County, 60 years of age and older

There are currently 335 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. In New Hampshire since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 45,184 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed with 910 (2%) of those having been hospitalized.

Current Situation in New Hampshire

 New Hampshire 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Summary Report (updated January 2, 2021, 9 a.m.)

NH Persons with COVID-19 45,184
Recovered 37,947 (84%)
Deaths Attributed to COVID-19 769 (2%)
Total Current COVID-19 Cases 6,468
Persons Who Have Been Hospitalized for COVID-19 910 (2%)
Current Hospitalizations 335
Total Persons Tested at Selected Laboratories, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) (see 2 below) 516,666
Total Persons Tested at Selected Laboratories, Antibody Laboratory Tests (see 2 below) 34,799
Persons with Specimens Submitted to NH PHL N/A
 Persons with Test Pending at NH PHL (see 3 below) 717

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 12/25 12/26 12/27 12/28 12/29 12/30 12/31 Daily Average
NH Public Health Laboratories 0 708 529 413 575 748 1,273 607
LabCorp 370 607 2,342 997 1,554 965 1,856 1,242
Quest Diagnostics 1,412 776 1,011 431 576 557 1,101 838
Mako Medical 695 65 69 0 262 1,169 590 407
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center 586 115 322 295 859 714 854 535
Other NH Hospital Laboratory 194 432 353 440 623 643 389 439
Other Laboratory* 485 1,132 826 1,351 1,861 2,428 1,766 1,407
University of New Hampshire** 0 1 0 1,206 1,070 808 21 444
Total 3,742 3,836 5,452 5,133 7,380 8,032 7,850 5,918
Antibody Laboratory Tests
Testing Laboratory 12/25 12/26 12/27 12/28 12/29 12/30 12/31 Daily Average
LabCorp 14 1 3 0 27 19 22 12
Quest Diagnostics 36 0 0 11 25 38 24 19
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center 0 5 0 6 12 7 12 6
Other Laboratory* 3 15 0 12 2 6 7 6
Total 53 21 3 29 66 70 65 44

* 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

Carol Robidoux

PublisherManchester Ink Link

Longtime NH journalist and publisher of ManchesterInkLink.com. Loves R&B, German beer, and the Queen City!