COVID cases, hospitalizations holding steady

Delaware has surpassed 13,000 positive cases of COVID-19 but important numbers are holding steady, the Delaware Division of Public Health announced July 17.

A total of 13,337 positive cases of COVID-19 among Delaware residents have been reported to DPH since March 11, including 7,315 individuals who are considered recovered. In addition, 55 individuals are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19 in Delaware, seven of whom are critically ill.

Data trends show that new positive cases, current hospitalizations and deaths in Delaware have all remained steady this week, and the five-day rolling average of the percentage of persons who tested positive decreased from 5.4 percent as of July 9 to 4.4 percent as of July 16.

Four additional COVID-19 related deaths were reported since July 10. A total of 521 Delawareans have died due to complications from COVID-19. They ranged in age from 21 to 104 years old. Of those who have died, 275 were females and 246 were males. A total of 249 individuals were from New Castle County, 94 were from Kent County, and 178 were from Sussex County.

The most recent deaths announced this week ranged in age from 73 to 77. Two individuals were female and two were male; two were residents of Kent County and two were residents of Sussex County. All four individuals had underlying health conditions.

The latest Delaware COVID-19 case statistics cumulatively since March 11 include:

• 13,337 total positive cases
• New Castle County cases: 5,981
• Kent County cases: 1,978
• Sussex County cases: 5,244
• Unknown county: 134
• Females: 7,361; Males: 5,956; Unknown Sex: 20
• Age range: 0 to 104
• Currently hospitalized: 55; Critically ill: 7
• Delawareans recovered: 7,315
• 135,273 negative cases

Long-term care statistics

There have been a total of 1,160 positive COVID-19 cases cumulatively involving long-term care residents, and 333 residents of Delaware long-term care facilities have died from complications related to COVID-19. No additional deaths have been reported among long-term care residents in the past 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 (31)   
• Brandywine Living at Seaside Pointe, Rehoboth Beach (2) 
• Cadia Healthcare Broadmeadow, Middletown (10)   
• Cadia Healthcare Capitol, Dover (6)
• Cadia Healthcare Renaissance, Millsboro (4)
• Cadia Healthcare North Wilmington/Silverside, Wilmington (3)
• Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill, Smyrna (9) 
• Governor Bacon Health Center, Delaware City (1) 
• HarborChase of Wilmington, Wilmington (4)
• Harbor Healthcare and Rehabilitation, Lewes (19)   
• Harrison House Senior Living, Georgetown (39)
• Hillside Center, Wilmington (3)   
• Little Sisters of the Poor, Newark (11)   
• ManorCare Health Services, Wilmington (13)
• ManorCare Health Services, Pike Creek (16)
• Methodist Country House, Wilmington (3)     
• Milford Center, Genesis Healthcare, Milford (34)
• New Castle Health and Rehabilitation Center, New Castle (9)   
• Newark Manor Nursing Home, Newark (11)
• Parkview Nursing and Rehabilitation, Wilmington (24)
• Pinnacle Rehabilitation and Health Center, Smyrna (24)
• Regal Heights Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, Hockessin (4) 
• Summit Assisted Living, Hockessin (3) 
• Sunrise Assisted Living, Wilmington (2)  
• Westminster Village, Dover (7) 
• Seven 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, can be found on the Division of Public Health’s My Healthy Community data portal at de.gov/healthycommunity.

Information about testing events will be listed on the testing section of the Delaware coronavirus website at de.gov/gettested. Earlier this week, DPH announced a partnership with Walgreens to provide COVID-19 testing to residents, piloting the initiative at one location in each county. Participating locations include:

• New Castle County – Walgreens, 700 S. Ridge Ave., Middletown
• Kent County – Walgreens, 1215 S. State St., Dover
• Sussex County – Walgreens, 9202 Commercial Centre Drive, Bridgeville

Free drive-thru pharmacy testing through this program began July 16. Testing is available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, and will be open to anyone who wishes to be tested, regardless of symptoms or insurance coverage. No appointment is required; however, individuals should be advised that initial wait times may vary depending on volume of traffic at a site. Walk-up testing will also be available on site at the external drive-thru location. Customers should not come into the pharmacy for COVID-19 testing. The tests administered through this program will consist of self-administered nasal swabs, where the patient swabs the inside front of their nose. The specimen samples will be processed through the Delaware Public Health Laboratory.