The total number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in New Hampshire has topped 5,000 as blacks and Latinos continue to have far more cases than their presence in the state’s population.
As of Sunday, Latinos make up 3.9% of the state but were 9.9% of confirmed COVID-19 cases. Blacks make up 1.4% of the state and were 6.6% of confirmed cases.
By contrast, Asians make up 3.1% of the state’s population and 3.0% of hospitalizations, which may reflect their higher average socioeconomic status than other non-white groups.
Whites make up 90% of New Hampshire population but were just 73% of COVID-19 cases.
However, when whites get sick they are much more likely to die. This probably reflects the fact that whites are, on average, much older than other ethnic and racial groups. So far, about 87% of all deaths have been in people over 70.
Through Sunday, 6% of all infections of white patients have been fatal, compared to 2% of Latino infections, 2.5% of black infections and 1.7% of Asian infections.
This data and more can be seen on the state’s COVID-19 dashboard: www.nh.gov/covid19/dashboard/summary.htm
There might have been fewer cars on New Hampshire highways since stay-at-home orders began but there have been more crashes, and more fatalities, than last year – especially in Merrimack County.
Through June 6, according to state police, the state has seen 38 crashes that killed 39 people, compared to 22 crashes and 23 fatalities at this period last year. Of the state’s 10 counties, Merrimack saw the biggest jump: From 4 fatal crashes last year to 11 this year.
The increase is surprising because traffic on New Hampshire turnpikes, and presumably on most roads, fell sharply in mid-March when Gov. Sununu imposed the first stay-at-home order in the face of COVID-19.
Before the order, the state’s E-ZPass system recorded more than 2 million trips a week. That figure fell more than half, to 933,000 the first week of April and has rebounded only partly, to 1.6 million, since then.
Law enforcement around the country has reported more speeding and reckless driving on relatively empty roads, which may contribute to the crash statistics.
Another factor is fatal crash statistics fluctuate often in New Hampshire because the numbers are relatively low. For reasons that aren’t clear, 2019 was much less dangerous for drivers and passengers than many recent years have been – it saw one-third fewer crashes and fatalities than 2018.
If 2020 continues at the present rate, it would still see fewer crashes and fatalities than 2018.
