CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - The number of cases of the new coronavirus in New Hampshire has nearly doubled to 13 and dozens more tests are pending, state officials said Sunday.
Republican Gov. Chris Sununu and other officials said all of the new cases are believed to be travel related, and none of the infected people are hospitalized. All of them are at home with more mild illnesses, said state epidemiologist Benjamin Chan.
However, the state isn’t taking the uptick in cases lightly, and is transitioning all schools in the state to remote learning immediately, Sununu said. He said the order will remain in place through April 3.
“We are taking unprecedented action as a state to help manage this evolving public health situation,” Sununu said.
New Hampshire’s total number of presumptive positive test results of the new coronavirus had risen to seven because of a case involving a woman who was at a Division of Motor Vehicles office in Manchester, public health authorities in the state said during a previous update late Friday.
The state has 90 to 100 tests pending in public health laboratories, officials said Sunday.
Sununu also said over the next two days he would issue directives to make sure parents who need to miss work to care for children would be able to access state unemployment benefits. He also said the state would expand access to childcare. That means providing more flexibility in licensing for day care facilities to allow businesses to provide temporary care, he said.
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STATEWIDE SCHOOL CLOSURES
Sununu said every school district is to “begin providing temporary remote instruction and support to all students” no later than March 23.
More schools in the state had already announced at least temporary closures prior to Sununu’s announcement.
Pembroke, Allenstown, Chichester and Epsom all joined a growing number of districts that said they would close down for two weeks, the Concord Monitor reported.
Districts said they would work with families and students on remote learning plans.
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LEGISLATURE SHUTS DOWN FOR WEEK
The New Hampshire Legislature has suspended all legislative activities until at least March 20 to help curtail the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
State officials said late Saturday the State House will be closed to legislative members, staff and visitors. However, it will remain open for governmental operations until further notice, officials said.
New Hampshire Senate President Donna Soucy and Speaker of the House Steve Shurtleff, who are both Democrats, said in a joint statement that move is about “protecting the health and wellbeing of our members, staff and the public.”
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ABOUT THE VIRUS
For most people, the coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, results in only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.
The vast majority of people recover. People with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover, according to the World Health Organization.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.
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