Our Coronavirus Time Capsule

The first reported case occurred on March 2, 2020, of a male Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center employee who had recently returned from a trip to Italy and a second case, a man who had had close contact with the first reported case, was confirmed the following day, March 3, 2020.

On March 13, 2020, with the seventh case reported in the state, Governor Chris Sununu declared a state of emergency, which limited visitors to assisted living and long-term care facilities, and suspended out-of-state trips for state employees.

Over the next few days, more measures to limit the spread of the virus were announced including the closure of K-12 public schools on March 15, 2020, and on March 16, 2020 the closure of restaurants and bars except for takeout and delivery and a limit on gatherings of more than fifty people. In addition to these restrictions, unemployment benefits were expanded to those temporarily out of work due to COVID-19 related closures or due to self-quarantining and evictions and utility disconnections were banned to help those affected by the spread of the virus.

March 23, 2020 marked the date of the first confirmed death due to the virus in the state, as the number of confirmed cases in state rose to above one hundred.

On March 26, 2020 Governor Sununu announced a stay-at-home order going into effect the following day at midnight requiring the closure of all non-essential in-person businesses.

The second death from the virus, a man from Hillsborough County, was confirmed on March 27.