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THEY ARE A MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. THERE ARE NINE NEW CASES OF COVID-19 IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 26 >> THESE NEW IDENTIFICATIONS ARE FROM ROCKINGHAM, HILLSBOROUGH, AND GRAFTON. KRISTEN: HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY ALL OF THESE PATIENTS ARE NOT SICK ENOUGH TO BE IN THE HOSPITAL AND THEY ARE ISOLATING AT HOME. THE STATE’S EPIDEMIOLOGIST SAYS SOME OF THESE NEW CASES HAVE NO IDENTIFIED RISK FACTORS SUCH A TRAVEL. THIS INDICATES THAT IT COULD BE SPREADING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY. WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO MONITOR THEIR HEALTH FOR SYMPTOMS OF FEVER OR RESPIRATORY ILLNESS OR VERY EARLY, MILD SYMPTOMS OF FLULIKE ILLNESS. KRISTEN: PEOPLE ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THEIR DOCTOR TO DISCUSS ANY SYMPTOMS AND POTENTIAL RISK FACTORS. >> THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO SERIOUS INFECTION THAT COULD LEAD TO HOSPITALIZATION AND POTENTIALLY DEATH AND WE NEED TO DO OUR PART TO HELP THESE MORE VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS. KRISTEN: AS WE SEE MORE CASES, OFFICIALS NOW RECOMMEND THAT TESTING BE PERFORMED ON INDIVIDUALS WITH MORE SERIOUS ILLNESSES, HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONTACT WITH VULNERABLE GROUPS >> THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO DEVELOP UPPER RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS MAY NOT NEED TO BE TESTED. KRISTEN: THE STATE SAYS WE SHOULD EXPECT MORE CASES IN THE COMING D

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Nine new cases of COVID-19 in New Hampshire indicate there is community-based transmission of the coronavirus in the Granite State, health officials said Tuesday.>> Download the FREE WMUR appThe new cases were confirmed in five men and four women. Four of the cases are in Rockingham County, three are in Hillsborough County and two are in Grafton County. >> COVID-19 coronavirus in New Hampshire: What you need to knowWMUR has learned one of the new cases is a member of the school community in Goffstown.Health officials said several of the cases in Rockingham and Grafton counties are people who have no identified risk factors.>> Latest coronavirus coverage from WMUR"The increasing number of cases and new evidence of community-based transmission raises concern that the COVID-19 outbreak is intensifying in New Hampshire," said Dr. Benjamin Chan, the state epidemiologist.There are now 26 identified cases of COVID-19 in the state. Officials said all patients are isolating at home, and none have required hospitalization."It is critical for everybody to monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 and practice social distancing," Chan said. "We know that this novel coronavirus can be spread very easily through close contact, and the virus can be spread even when people are only having very mild early symptoms of illness."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Symptoms of COVID-19 most often include fever and respiratory symptoms, such as cough. Early mild symptoms can include fatigue, headache, muscle aches and chills. Fever might not develop until several days into illness or not at all, but people can still transmit the novel coronavirus.People who are concerned about COVID-19 should discuss their symptoms and any risk factors by phone with their health care provider before seeking a test, health officials said.As the state sees more cases, officials now recommend that testing be performed on individuals with more serious illnesses, health care providers and people who have contact with vulnerable groups."The vast majority of people who develop more mild upper respiratory symptoms may not need to be tested," Chan said.State officials said more cases are expected in the coming days. There are more than 200 tests pending.In addition, a faculty member at Keene State College has tested positive for COVID-19 and is in a hospital in Massachusetts. The school's president said school officials are contacting those who may have had contact with the faculty member and students will not be returning to campus on April 5 as planned.