Coronavirus News: Hospital Employee Carrying COVID-19 Ignored Self-Quarantine Order, Attended Work Event

New Hampshire confirmed its second coronavirus case on Tuesday after a hospital worker that previously tested positive attended a college work event, despite being told to self-quarantine.

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the state’s second case of COVID-19 was an “adult male” from Grafton County. He reportedly attended an event held by Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business when he was exposed by an employee from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center who also attended.

The second patient is reportedly “isolated at home” to recover and prevent further exposure.

The health department said the hospital worker had tested positive for COVID-19 when the state began running tests for the strain of coronavirus in February. He had reportedly tested positive and was told to self-quarantine for the mandated 14 days.

“Through the course of the investigation, DHHS has determined that the first patient, despite having been directed to self-isolate, attended an invitation-only private event on Friday, February 28,” the New Hampshire department said. “DHHS has issued an official order of isolation to the first patient under RSA-141-C:11.”

As a precaution, officials from the state’s health department have notified event attendees and recommending they self-quarantine for 14 days.

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center followed up by saying it would be monitoring and testing any workers at the hospital that were in close contact with the infected worker. It also said the staff doesn’t suspect any patients in clinical areas where the employee worked around were exposed.

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services advised anyone it doesn’t get in contact with to reach out to the department or their healthcare provider if they begin showing symptoms.