New highs continue for COVID hospitalizations

The Delaware Division of Public Health reports hospitalizations continued to rise over the past week with a new high of 407 cases.

At the same time, the seven-day average for the percentage of persons who tested positive for COVID-19 decreased from 22.9 percent posted on Dec. 10 to 21.9 percent as of Dec. 17. As of Dec. 15, the seven-day average for the percentage of total tests that were positive was 9.7 percent, the same figure reported Dec. 8. There is a two-day lag for presenting data related to percent of positive tests to account for the time delay between the test date and the date DPH receives the result.

The number of hospitalized increased by 44 over the past week; the number of critically ill increased by 19 to a total of 68.

A total of 49,109 positive cases of COVID-19 among Delaware residents have been reported to DPH since March 11, 2020. The number of new daily cases this week has remained elevated with a seven-day average of 763.9 as of Dec. 17.

A total of 854 Delawareans have passed away due to complications from COVID-19. The state reported 47 additional deaths since last week's update, including eight as a result of a review of vital statistics records. Individuals who have died from COVID-19 range in age from 21 to 104 years old. Of those, 433 were female and 421 were male. A total of 421 people were from New Castle County, 151 were from Kent County, and 282 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.

The latest Delaware COVID-19 case statistics cumulatively since March 11, provided as of 6 p.m. Dec. 17, include:

• 49,109 total positive cases
• New Castle County cases: 28,235
• Kent County cases: 7,676
• Sussex County cases: 13,079
• Unknown county: 119
• Females: 26,129; Males: 22,902; Unknown sex: 78
• Age range: 0 to 104
• Currently hospitalized: 407; Critically ill: 68 (This data represents individuals currently hospitalized in a Delaware hospital regardless of residence, and is not cumulative.)
• 428,997 negative cases
• 882,919 total tests administered as of Dec. 15

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 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. 16:

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 from Sept. 25 to Dec. 17:

• Cadia Healthcare Silverside in Wilmington: 51 residents and 43 staff members.
• Regency Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Wilmington: 74 residents and 46 staff
• Lofland Park in Seaford: 19 residents and 17 staff
• Cadia Healthcare Capitol in Dover: 45 residents and 26 staff
• Delmar Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Delmar: 38 residents and 34 staff
• The Moorings at Lewes in Lewes: 15 residents and 36 staff
• Oak Bridge Terrace at Cokesbury Village in Hockessin: 15 residents and 13 staff
• Brookdale in Dover: 58 residents and 33 staff
• Cadia Healthcare Broadmeadow in Newark: 16 residents and 21 staff
• Churchman Village in Newark: 49 residents and 28 staff
• Foulk Manor South in Wilmington: 25 residents and 26 staff
•  Hillside Center in Wilmington: 21 residents and 14 staff
• Kutz Senior Living in Wilmington: 12 residents and 15 staff
• Regal Heights Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Hockessin: 67 residents and 23 staff
• Westminster Village in Dover: 42 residents and 20 staff
• Brandywine Assisted Living at Seaside in Rehoboth Beach: 39 residents and 15 staff
• Milford Center, Genesis Healthcare in Milford: 24 residents and 14 staff
• Seaford Center Nursing Home in Seaford: 14 residents and 15 staff
• Harrison House Senior Living in Georgetown: 12 residents and 12 staff
• WillowBrooke Court Skilled Center at Manor House in Seaford: 32 residents and 24 staff.

Staff members may include healthcare and non-healthcare personnel, such as facility vendors or other individuals working in the long-term care facility who may not be full-time facility employees. As facility outbreak investigations close, they will be removed from this list.

Information related to positive cases and deaths among residents at long-term care facilities is updated weekly each Friday, using information reported as of 6 p.m. Thursday. There have been a total of 1,769 positive COVID-19 cases cumulatively involving long-term care residents, and 463 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 (3)
• Brookdale Dover, Dover (2)
• Cadia Healthcare Broadmeadow, Middletown (11)
• Cadia Healthcare Capitol, Dover (18)
• Cadia Healthcare Renaissance, Millsboro (9)
• Cadia Healthcare North Wilmington/Silverside, Wilmington (24)
• Country Rest Home, Greenwood (11)
• Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill, Smyrna (13)
• Foulk Manor South, Wilmington (2)
• 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 (3)
• 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)
• Five other New Castle County long-term care facilities (1 death at each facility)
• One 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)

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 at de.gov/healthycommunity.

Anyone with any of the following symptoms should stay home: fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, muscle aches, fatigue, chills, shaking with chills, loss of smell or taste, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, or headache or congestion or runny nose without a known cause such as allergies. Other symptoms such as abdominal pain or lack of appetite have been identified as potential symptoms related to COVID-19 and may prompt further screening, action or investigation by a primary care provider. If you are sick and need essential supplies, ask someone else to go to the grocery store or the pharmacy to get what you need.

Information about testing events, including community testing sites, permanent fixed testing sites, and free-standing sites operated by the health care systems and hospitals, will be listed on the testing section of the Delaware coronavirus website at: coronavirus.delaware.gov/testing/.

Delawareans over the age of 18 are encouraged to download COVID Alert DE, Delaware’s free exposure notification app to help protect your neighbors while ensuring your privacy. Download on the App Store or Google Play. 

DPH has set up a Vaccine Call Center at 302-672-6150. People who are deaf and hard of hearing should call 2-1-1 or text their ZIP code to 898-211. Questions concerning the vaccine can be emailed to to Vaccine@Delaware.gov and searched at de.gov/covidvaccine for more information. 

Individuals with general questions about COVID-19 should call Delaware 2-1-1; individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can text their ZIP code to 898-211, or email delaware211@uwde.org. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Medically related questions regarding testing, symptoms, and health-related guidance can be submitted by email to DPHCall@delaware.gov. Questions regarding unemployment claims should be emailed to UIClaims@delaware.gov.

DPH will continue to update the public as more information becomes available. For the latest on Delaware's response, go to de.gov/coronavirus.