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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
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New Hampshire’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January 2020 was 2.6 percent, unchanged from the December 2019 rate, which remained at 2.6 percent after revision. The January 2019 seasonally adjusted rate was 2.5 percent.
Seasonally adjusted estimates for January 2020 placed the number of employed residents at 758,250, an increase of 1,570 from the previous month and an increase of 8,650 from January 2019. The number of unemployed residents increased by 40 over-the-month to 19,940. This was 710 more unemployed than in January 2019. From December 2019 to January 2020, the total labor force increased by 1,610 to 778,190. This was an increase of 9,360 from January 2019.
The unadjusted January 2020 unemployment rate for New Hampshire was 3.1 percent, an increase of 0.8 percentage points from the December 2019 rate, which remained at 2.3 percent after revision. The January 2019 unadjusted rate was 3.0 percent.
Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January 2020 was 3.6 percent, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the December 2019 rate, and a decrease of 0.4 percentage points from the January 2019 rate. The national unadjusted rate for January 2020 was 4.0 percent, an increase of 0.6 percentage points from the December 2019 rate, and a decrease of 0.4 percentage points from the January 2019 rate.
NOTE: State nonfarm employment estimates are available on our Internet Web site: www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi concurrent with this release. Local area unemployment rates are expected to be available on Thursday, March 12. All monthly data will continue to be published in the monthly newsletter New Hampshire Economic Conditions.
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has announced the second presumptive positive test result in New Hampshire for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new 2019 coronavirus. This individual is an adult male from Grafton County who was in close contact with the first person to test positive for COVID-19 and is currently isolated at home. DHHS is awaiting confirmation of two presumptive positive test results by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. DHHS has begun a contact investigation for the second person who tested positive. We expect additional cases may be identified that are related to this investigation.
The contact investigation for the first person identified as a presumptive positive case of the new coronavirus, COVID-19 was initiated as soon as the person was identified for testing. Through the course of the investigation, DHHS has determined that the first patient, despite having been directed to self-isolate attended an invitation-only private event on Friday, February 28. DHHS has issued an official order of isolation to the first patient under RSA-141-C:11. DHHS is contacting attendees who had close contact with the person during the event and notifying them to follow the recommended 14-day self-isolation.
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) has announced that the first person identified as a positive case is an employee. DHMC has identified staff who may have been exposed through close contact with the patient and will monitor those individuals’ self-monitoring or self-isolating. At this time, DHMC is not aware of exposure to any patients in clinical areas.
DHHS is managing the investigation into individuals in the community who may have been exposed to the virus. Any people determined to have been in close contact with the patient have been identified and are being notified. DHHS recommends that those individuals self-quarantine for 14 days after the day they were potentially exposed. Any person who develops a fever or respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) should stay home away from other people and seek health advice by phone from either a healthcare provider or the NH DHHS at 603-271-4496 (after-hours 603-271-5300).
Any person who has not been contacted by DHHS but is concerned they may have been exposed to the virus should self-observe for symptoms. Instructions for people to self-observe for symptoms of COVID-19 are available here: https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/documents/2019-coronavirus-self-observation-guidelines.pdf.
If people develop symptoms such as fever or respiratory symptoms, they should contact a healthcare provider or the DHHS Division of Public Health Services at 603-271-4496.
DHHS continues to test for COVID-19 in the NH Public Health Laboratories. In addition to the presumptive positive test result, six tests have been conducted and identified as negative for the virus, and four tests are pending. DHHS is updating its website each morning by 9:00 am to include a current summary of testing actions.
Because COVID-19, and all respiratory illnesses, are most commonly spread through respiratory droplets, residents should take the same precautions as those recommended to prevent the spread of influenza:
· Stay home and avoid public places when sick (i.e. social distancing)
· Cover mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing
· Wash hands frequently
· Avoid being within 6 feet (close contact) of a person who is sick
· Avoid sharing drinks, smoking/vaping devices, or other utensils or objects that may transmit saliva
· Disinfect frequently touched surfaces
For more information, please visit the DHHS COVID-19 webpage at https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/2019-ncov.htm.
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Bureau of Housing Supports, in collaboration with the State’s three Continuums of Care as established by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, will participate in a forum on youth homelessness on Thursday, March 5 at 9 a.m. at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). Sponsored by SNHU and the NH Coalition to End Homelessness, “Coming Together to End Youth Homelessness in New Hampshire” will provide an opportunity to join community partners, non-profit agencies, and young people with lived experience to call attention to youth homelessness in the State.
The event will feature an overview of youth homelessness in NH, remarks from state and federal leaders, panel presentations from young people who have experienced homelessness, and round table discussions designed to create a coordinated community response to prevent and end youth homelessness.
Youth will share their individual experiences and provide valuable insight into how communities can prevent and end youth homelessness. Local regions across the state will participate in round table discussions and use available New Hampshire data in order to share resources and identify opportunities for coordinated community response and solutions.
Coming Together to End Youth Homelessness in New Hampshire
Thursday, March 5, 2020
9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Southern New Hampshire University
2500 North River Road, Manchester, NH
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) announces the first presumptive positive test result in New Hampshire for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new 2019 coronavirus. This individual is an adult male from Grafton County and is currently isolated at home with mild symptoms. DHHS conducted testing today on the individual after they returned from travel to Italy and notified their healthcare provider after developing fever and respiratory symptoms within 14 days of travel.
“This morning, we identified the first presumptive positive test result for COVID-19 in New Hampshire. This positive test is in an individual who traveled to Italy and developed symptoms consistent with COVID-19 within several days of travel. At this time, there is no evidence of more widespread community transmission in New Hampshire,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan. “The State is conducting an investigation to determine potential exposure to other people in order to quickly isolate and test any additional people with suspect coronavirus.”
The NH Public Health Laboratories (PHL) conducted the test and identified the presumptive positive result. The patient’s specimen is being sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today for confirmatory testing. The CDC is conducting confirmatory tests on all state laboratory tests that are found to be presumptively positive for COVID-19.
DHHS has started a contact investigation and is reaching out to individuals who may have been in direct contact with the individual. Public health professionals will monitor any close contacts and ask them to self-quarantine for 14 days following their last exposure to monitor for potential symptoms of the virus. Household contacts of the person who has presumptively tested positive have been self-quarantining at home since the state and healthcare providers determined that the individual met the criteria to be evaluated for COVID-19.
The U.S. expects to detect more introductions of COVID-19 through travel, as well as more person-to-person spread and community transmission of this virus. The CDC and New Hampshire are conducting aggressive containment efforts, including ongoing use of isolation and quarantine measures to decrease introductions and spread of the virus.
Because COVID-19, and all respiratory illnesses, are most commonly spread through respiratory droplets, residents should take the same precautions as those recommended to prevent the spread of influenza:
• Stay home and avoid public places when sick (i.e. social distancing)
• Cover mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing
• Wash hands frequently
• Avoid being within 6 feet (close contact) of a person who is sick
• Avoid sharing drinks, smoking/vaping devices, or other utensils or objects that may transmit saliva
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces
There is a sustained and widespread transmission of COVID-19 in several countries. The CDC has currently issued travel advisories for the following countries, but given the rapidly changing situation, these advisories are frequently changing:
• Level 3 Travel Warning (avoid all nonessential travel due to widespread community transmission): China, Iran, Italy, and South Korea
• Level 2 Travel Alert (practice enhanced precautions due to sustained community transmission): Japan
• Level 1 Travel Watch (practice usual precautions but limited community spread has been reported): Hong Kong
For more information on COVID-19 in NH, please visit https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/2019-ncov.htm. For the latest information from the CDC, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
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