Christmas Eve COVID hospitalizations drop 50 from two days earlier

The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped by 50 on Christmas Eve from the high posted two days earlier.

Hospitalizations were 404, down from the state’s high of 454 on Dec. 22. In a press release sent out Dec. 23, the Division of Public Health listed a total of 53,015 positive cases of COVID-19 among Delaware residents reported since March 11. The number of new daily cases this week has remained elevated with a seven-day average of 613.7, officials said.

The seven-day average for the percentage of persons who tested positive for COVID-19 as of Dec. 23 was 22.4 percent, which was the same percentage a week earlier. As of Dec. 21, the seven-day average for the percentage of total tests that were positive was 9.6 percent, a slight increase from 9.5 percent Dec. 14. There is a two-day lag for presenting data related to percent of tests that are positive to account for the time delay between the date of the test and the date that DPH receives the test result, officials said.

The 404 individuals hospitalized as of Dec. 24 is a decrease of three from last week’s update. Sixty two of the hospitalized persons are critically ill, down six from last week.

A total of 888 Delawareans have passed away due to complications from COVID-19. The state reported 34 additional deaths since last week's update, including four as a result of a review of Vital Statistics records. The total number of individuals who have died from COVID-19 ranges in age from 21 to 104 years old. Of those who have died, 453 were female and 435 were male. A total of 441 individuals were from New Castle County, 158 were from Kent County, and 289 were from Sussex County.

To protect personal health information, DPH will not confirm specific information about any individual case, even if other persons or entities disclose it independently. Additional data can be found at de.gov/healthycommunity.

Total doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in Delaware as of 8 a.m. Dec. 24, was 6,569. As health experts continue to learn how the COVID-19 vaccine works under real-world conditions, everyone will need to continue to practice precautions such as wearing a mask over the mouth and nose, social distancing, frequent handwashing, and other hygiene measures to help reduce spread of the disease in the community. The combination of getting vaccinated and following recommendations to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from COVID-19.

Long-term care statistics

The Division of Public Health continues to investigate COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities throughout the state. The following facilities have experienced significant outbreaks since late September. Resident and staff tallies represent cumulative case totals between Sept. 25 and Dec. 23 and may not represent the number of active cases at each facility at this particular point in time:

• Cadia Healthcare Silverside in Wilmington; 51 residents and 44 staff members.
• Regency Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Wilmington; 74 residents and 47 staff
• Lofland Park in Seaford, 19 residents and 17 staff
• Cadia Healthcare Capitol in Dover; 45 residents and 30 staff
• Delmar Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Delmar; 38 residents and 36 staff
• The Moorings at Lewes in Lewes; 17 residents and 37 staff
• Oak Bridge Terrace at Cokesbury Village in Hockessin; 16 residents and 13 staff
• Brookdale in Dover; 58 residents and 35 staff
• Cadia Healthcare Broadmeadow in Middletown; 17 residents and 23 staff
• Churchman Village in Newark, 48 residents and 28 staff
• Foulk Manor South in Wilmington; 28 residents and 28 staff
•  Hillside Center in Wilmington; 21 residents and 16 staff
• Kutz Senior Living in Wilmington, 16 residents and 15 staff
• Regal Heights Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Hockessin, 72 residents and 31 staff
• Westminster Village in Dover; 42 residents and 21 staff
• Brandywine Assisted Living at Seaside in Rehoboth Beach; 39 residents and 15 staff
• Milford Center, Genesis Healthcare in Milford; 38 residents and 14 staff
• Seaford Center Nursing Home in Seaford; 17 residents and 16 staff
• Harrison House Senior Living in Georgetown; 12 residents and 12 staff
• WillowBrooke Court Skilled Center at Manor House in Seaford; 41 residents and 31 staff
• WillowBrooke Court at Cokesbury Village in Hockessin, 13 residents and 12 staff
• Dover Place in Dover, 22 residents and 13 staff

Information related to positive cases and deaths among residents at long-term care facilities will be updated weekly each Friday, using information reported as of 6 p.m. Thursday. There have been a total of 1,857 positive COVID-19 cases cumulatively involving long-term care residents, and 480 residents of Delaware long-term care facilities have died from complications related to COVID-19.

The locations and number of deaths involving residents of long-term care facilities are:

• Atlantic Shores Rehabilitation and Health Center, Millsboro (18)
  • Brackenville Center, Genesis Healthcare, Hockessin (18)
  • Brandywine Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Wilmington (34)
  • Brandywine Living at Seaside Pointe, Rehoboth Beach (4)
  • Brookdale Dover, Dover (7)
  • Cadia Healthcare Broadmeadow, Middletown (11)
  • Cadia Healthcare Capitol, Dover (18)
  • Cadia Healthcare Renaissance, Millsboro (10)
  • Cadia Healthcare North Wilmington/Silverside, Wilmington (25)
  • Churchman Village, Newark (5)
  • Country Rest Home, Greenwood (11)
  • Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill, Smyrna (13)
  • Foulk Manor South, Wilmington (3)
  • Forwood Manor, Wilmington (2)
  • Governor Bacon Health Center, Delaware City (1)
  • HarborChase of Wilmington, Wilmington (4)
  • Harbor Healthcare and Rehabilitation, Lewes (23)
  • Harrison House Senior Living, Georgetown (43)
  • Hillside Center, Wilmington (4)
  • Kentmere Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, Wilmington (8)
  • Kutz Senior Living, Wilmington (2)
  • Little Sisters of the Poor, Newark (11)
  • Lofland Park Center, Genesis Healthcare, Seaford (6)
  • ManorCare Health Services, Wilmington (13)
  • ManorCare Health Services, Pike Creek (23)
  • Methodist Country House, Wilmington (4)
  • Millcroft, Newark (2)
  • Milford Center, Genesis Healthcare, Milford (38)
  • New Castle Health and Rehabilitation Center, New Castle (12)
  • Newark Manor Nursing Home, Newark (11)
  • Parkview Nursing and Rehabilitation, Wilmington (26)
  • Pinnacle Rehabilitation and Health Center, Smyrna (24)
  • Regal Heights Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, Hockessin (9)
  • Regency Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, Wilmington (7)
  • Summit Assisted Living, Hockessin (3)
  • Sunrise Assisted Living, Wilmington (2)
  • The Moorings at Lewes, Lewes (4)
  • Westminster Village, Dover (12)
  • WillowBrooke Court Skilled Center at Manor House, Seaford (2)
  • Four other New Castle County long-term care facilities (1 death at each facility)
  • Two other Kent County long-term care facility (1 death at this facility)
  • One other Sussex County long-term care facility (1 death at this facility)

Aggregate K-12 school-related COVID-19 statistics

The Division of Public Health is providing statewide aggregate data on the total number of COVID-19 positive cases among students and staff who were in-person at a school or child care facility while potentially infectious, reported to DPH since Sept. 1, 2020. To determine the start of the infectious period, or when others may have been exposed to someone infectious, DPH looks 48 hours prior to the onset of symptoms or 48 hours prior to testing for those individuals who had no symptoms. These data only indicate potential exposure to COVID-19 in these settings, not whether exposure actually occurred. Officials said these figures do not indicate that the infections were caused from being in the school setting.

Total number of COVID-19 positive students and staff, statewide, who were in-person at a school or child care facility while potentially infectious, reported to DPH between Sept. 1 and Dec. 23.