Five COVID-19 deaths reported over past week as critical cases drop to 10

The Delaware Division of Public Health reports five COVID-19 deaths over the past week, none of whom were residents of long-term care facilities.

A total of 593 Delawareans have passed away due to complications from COVID-19. ThOSE who have died ranged in age from 21 to 104 years old. Of those, 315 were females and 278 were males. A total of 293 individuals were from New Castle County, 108 were from Kent County, and 192 were from Sussex County.

A total of 16,340 positive cases of COVID-19 among Delaware residents has been reported to DPH since March 11, including 8,613 individuals who are considered recovered. Over the last week, the number of new COVID-19 cases remained below 100 per day for the first time since late June, officials said. The seven-day average for the percentage of persons who tested positive for COVID-19 increased slightly from 4.2 percent Aug. 6 to 4.3 percent Aug. 13. In addition, 38 individuals are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19 in Delaware, up from 37 reported as of last Friday’s update. Ten of the hospitalized people are critically ill, down from 15 last week, officials said.

Temporary increase 

While the total cumulative number of positive cases has increased by 373 with the latest report, it is important to note that not all of these cases represent new infections. According to data entered as of 6 p.m., Aug. 13, 82 new positive cases were reported to DPH that day. The remaining 291 positive cases largely represent historical test results from the Department of Correction that were recently processed into the Division of Public Health’s surveillance system. Also, 88 DOC-related positive cases were added the day before, accounting for a larger-than-normal cumulative increase reported Aug. 13.

The Department of Correction’s healthcare provider has been reporting positive cases to the Division of Public Health throughout the pandemic. Initially, providers from DOC correctional facilities submitted these cases by scanning completed DPH disease report forms and sending them via secure fax. In July, as DOC administered more than 1,000 inmate COVID-19 tests (for 975 inmates at Sussex Correctional Institution and 80 inmates at Morris Community Corrections Center), DPH requested that DOC begin submitting all test results electronically via CSV file. DPH, DOC, and DOC's healthcare provider worked collaboratively to implement this process, which streamlines test result submissions, provides quality control by ensuring that all required data fields are included, and speeds up review and posting.  

Following recent training by DPH for DOC and its provider, the first electronic report containing nearly 300 test results from July, and including approximately 100 positive test results, was submitted and processed into the DPH surveillance system last week. DOC submitted its remaining reports, containing more than 1,000 test results (both positive and negative), late last week, and DPH staff have been working this week to process those results into the surveillance system. As a result of inputting these results, the public will notice a larger-than-typical increase in the cumulative total of positive cases through the weekend. These additional cases do not represent new infections. Members of the media and the general public are highly encouraged to view the New Positive Cases graph on the My Healthy Community dashboard for the most accurate data trends based on the date cases are reported to DPH. 

Delaware COVID-19 data

The latest Delaware COVID-19 case statistics cumulatively since March 11, provided as of 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 13, include: 

•16,340 total positive cases

• New Castle County cases: 7,450

• Kent County cases: 2,463

• Sussex County cases: 6,167

• Unknown county: 260

• Females: 8,715; Males: 7,600; Unknown sex: 25

• Age range: 0 to 104

• Currently hospitalized: 38; Critically ill: 10 (This data represents individuals currently hospitalized in a Delaware hospital regardless of residence, and is not cumulative.)

• Delawareans recovered: 8,613

• 191,135 negative cases 

Generally, Delaware is now considering patients recovered after at least 24 hours have passed since the resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and/or improvement in symptoms, and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Individuals who tested positive who have not had any symptoms are considered recovered after at least 10 days have passed since the date of their first positive COVID-19 test with no subsequent illness. 

Long-term care statistics

Information related to positive cases and deaths among residents at long-term care facilities will be updated weekly each Friday, using data reported as of 6 p.m. Thursday. There have been a total of 1,234 positive COVID-19 cases cumulatively involving long-term care residents, and 362 residents of Delaware long-term care facilities have died from complications related to COVID-19. No new deaths for long-term care residents have been reported in the last week. 

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

• Atlantic Shores Rehabilitation and Health Center, Millsboro (17)

• Brackenville Center, Genesis Healthcare, Hockessin (17)

• Brandywine Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Wilmington (34)  

• Brandywine Living at Seaside Pointe, Rehoboth Beach (2) 

• Cadia Healthcare Broadmeadow, Middletown (10)   

• Cadia Healthcare Capitol, Dover (12)

• Cadia Healthcare Renaissance, Millsboro (7)

• Cadia Healthcare North Wilmington/Silverside, Wilmington (4)

• Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill, Smyrna (11)

• Governor Bacon Health Center, Delaware City (1) 

• HarborChase of Wilmington, Wilmington (4)

• Harbor Healthcare and Rehabilitation, Lewes (20)    

• Harrison House Senior Living, Georgetown (40)

• Hillside Center, Wilmington (3)   

• Little Sisters of the Poor, Newark (11)   

• ManorCare Health Services, Wilmington (13)

• ManorCare Health Services, Pike Creek (20)

• Methodist Country House, Wilmington (4)   

• Millcroft, Newark (2)

• Milford Center, Genesis Healthcare, Milford (35)

• New Castle Health and Rehabilitation Center, New Castle (11)   

• 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 (5) 

• Summit Assisted Living, Hockessin (3) 

• Sunrise Assisted Living, Wilmington (2)  

• Westminster Village, Dover (7) 

• Six other New Castle County long-term care facilities (1 death at each facility)

Additional demographic data on COVID-19 cases and deaths, including race/ethnicity, more age-specific data and rates information by ZIP code, and information on Delaware’s contact tracing efforts can be found on the Division of Public Health’s My Healthy Community data portal at de.gov/healthycommunity.