NH virus updates: Sen. Hassan seeks action on scammers; 8 more deaths and 34 new cases
CONCORD — The Federal Trade Commission has received more than 1,000 reports from New Hampshire of scammers seeking to take advantage of people during the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in about $1.5 million in losses, according to U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan.
"These scams take many forms, including offering expedited access to economic stimulus payments for a fee, impersonating public health officials, and selling phony products that they claim can prevent or cure COVID-19," Hassan and U.S. Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware, both Democrats, wrote in a letter Thursday to several federal agencies. They added, "Government and industry should always cooperate to fight illegal robocalls, but it is even more critical at a time when so many Americans are facing economic and health concerns."
The senators are asking for information about how the agencies are working together to take enforcement actions against COVID-19-related scammers. In addition to the FTC, they addressed the Internal Revenue Service; Department of Justice; and Federal Communications Commission.
The senators are also following up on a letter they sent to the IRS requesting information on what it is doing to protect Americans from scams related to stimulus payments.
Other coronavirus-related developments in New Hampshire:
The numbers
New Hampshire health officials reported eight more deaths related to the new coronavirus, raising the state’s total to 365 (about 6% of all cases). Seven of the eight people who died were all age 60 or older, including one man in Rockingham County. The rest of the people who died were Hillsborough County residents, three men and three woman age 60 or older and one male under age 60.
More than 80 percent of all deaths in the state have been in long-term care facilities, a total of 299.
Officials also reported 34 new positive test results for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, raising the state’s total to 5,671 with 4,381 people confirmed as recovered (about 77%). The state reported 114,768 tests have for the virus have been conducted with results completed.
Of those with complete information among the 34 new cases, there was one person under age18 and the rest were adults, with 47% female and 53% male. The new cases are people who reside in Hillsborough County other than Manchester and Nashua (6), Merrimack (6), Rockingham (6), Grafton (3), Sullivan (3), Strafford (2), Belknap (1), and Cheshire (1) counties, and in the cities of Manchester (3) and Nashua (3).
One new hospitalized case was identified for a total of 561 (about 10% of all cases).
Wellness kits
As families deal with disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, several state agencies are teaming up to distribute 25,000 health and wellness kits to New Hampshire families that include dental supplies, medication disposal pouches, and flyers on monitoring emotional and mental well-being.
The New Hampshire National Guard is packing the kits. It will deliver them to participating schools and regional pick-up sites over the next two weeks.
The kits also have a family well-being guide. There's also information on the "Choose Love" social-emotional learning program, and on pre-kindergarten readiness.
The project is coordinated by the departments of education, health and human services, in addition to the guard.
"While we are all working hard to protect the physical health of our children, social and emotional well-being remains of the utmost importance," Gov. Chris Sununu said in a statement Thursday.
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