CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire’s total number of presumptive positive test results of the new coronavirus has risen to seven because of a case involving a woman who was at a Division of Motor Vehicles office, public health authorities in the state said.
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services said late Friday that the woman is from Rockingham County and notified her health care provider after developing systems. The state is investigating to identify people who had close contact with the woman before she began self-isolating, the department said in a statement.
The woman was at the Manchester branch of the DMV during business hours on five days this month, the department said. The office will be closed Saturday for enhanced cleaning, it said. Anyone who was at the office on March 2, 3, 4, 5 or 10 who has developed symptoms should stay home, limit contact with others and contact a care provider, the department said.
For most people, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and the vast majority of people recover. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.
SCHOOLS SHUTTING DOWN
Some schools in New Hampshire are also closing for varying degrees of time.
Schools in Nashua, Exeter, Bedford, Hampstead and Plaistow have announced they would close down for days while evaluating the threat, the Concord Monitor reported. Nashua and Bedford schools announced week-long closures, while Exeter and Timberlake schools decided to close for two weeks, the Monitor reported.
Other schools, including the Merrimack Valley, Bow and Kearsage school districts, have called off schools for Monday and are considering longer closures.
Colleges in the state previously announced moves to online learning.
MUSEUM DISPLAY PANELS
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, New Hampshire, has put up exhibit panels about the virus.
The panels are designed by the New York Hall of Science and shared with fellow science museums for visitors to learn more about the nature of the virus. The panels are near the reception area of the museum.
The museum has made some adjustments, including the creation of a ”social distancing” system for its planetarium. It said it will fill every other row with visitors, leaving the row between them empty, and ask families and individuals to leave two empty seats between them and the next person or group.
The museum said it also is changing the way it handles planetarium show tickets, to minimize the number of people touching the tickets. Staffers have been provided hand sanitizer and medical gloves and will use them as needed.
STATE HOUSE CLOSING
New Hampshire Senate President Donna Soucy and Speaker of the House Steve Shurtleff said all legislative activities from Monday to Friday will be closed. The State House will be closed to legislative members, legislative staff, and visitors but remain open for governmental operations.
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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