August angst: COVID surges continue with little letup in New Hampshire, Maine

Graphic shows weekly COVID metrics for New Hampshire (DHHS graphic)

CONCORD - A week ago New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu told The Rochester Voice he fully expected a COVID surge this fall. He was right, it's just getting a head start.

DHHS announced 357 new positive test results for COVID-19 on Thursday, more than 10 times the number of new cases identified a month ago on July 26.

Meanwhile hospitalizations are some five times greater than a month ago, rising from 23 to 113 today.

Sununu also said he expected no shutdowns due to the fall surge, which experts nationwide have predicted.

Maine reported 390 new cases on Thursday, with 133 current hospitalizations.

Sununu told The Rochester Voice that while the virus continues to disrupt Granite Staters' lives, he's confident any fall uptick is very unlikely to lead to a full shutdown like it did 18 months ago.

"I feel confident that while the numbers will increase greatly this fall, I don't anticipate any lockdowns now or in the near future," he said.

Sununu said there are no plans in the works to reimplement a statewide mask mandate, and Rochester Schools plan to open next Thursday without one either.

NH COVID Summary Report

NH Persons who have contracted COVID-19 106,205

Recovered 102,059 (96%)

Deaths Attributed to COVID-19 1,410 (1%)

Total Current COVID-19 Cases 2,736