COVID hospitalizations inch up, critically ill numbers drop

Delaware’s numbers for hospitalizations and critically ill are close to the previous week as the number of daily COVID-19 cases continues to rise.

In data released by the Delaware Division of Public Health for Jan. 3, there were 432 individuals hospitalized due to COVID-19, an increase of six from last week’s update. Fifty-two of the hospitalized persons are critically ill, down eight from last week.

As of Dec. 30, DPH reported a total of 57,456 positive cases of COVID-19 since March 11. The number of new daily cases this week has remained elevated, with a seven-day average of 637.6.

The seven-day average for the percentage of persons who tested positive for COVID-19 as of Dec. 30 was 23.9 percent, an increase from 22.5 percent reported Dec. 23. As of Dec. 28, the seven-day average for the percentage of total tests that were positive was 9.1 percent, a decrease from 9.8 percent as of Dec. 21. 

A total of 926 Delawareans have passed away due to complications from COVID-19. The state reported 38 additional deaths since last week's update, including two as a result of a review of Vital Statistics records. Individuals who have died from COVID-19 range in age from 21 to 104. Of those, 474 were female and 452 were male; 462 were from New Castle County, 167 were from Kent County, and 297 were from Sussex County.

As of Dec. 31, Delaware has administered 11,274 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the state’s immunization information system, DelVAX. Delaware’s latest COVID-19 vaccination statistics can now be found under the Vaccine Tracker dashboard at de.gov/healthycommunity. 

As a reminder, DPH has set up a Vaccine Call Center, which can now be reached at 1-833-643-1715. People who are deaf and hard of hearing should call 2-1-1 or text their ZIP code to 898-211. Individuals can email questions concerning the vaccine to Vaccine@Delaware.gov and visit de.gov/covidvaccine for more information.  

COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities

The following facilities have experienced significant outbreaks since late September. Resident and staff tallies represent cumulative case totals between Sept. 25, 2020, and Dec. 30, 2020, and may not represent the number of active cases at each facility at this particular point in time: 

• Cadia Healthcare Silverside in Wilmington; 52 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; 47 residents and 34 staff
• Delmar Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Delmar; 38 residents and 37 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 36 staff
• Cadia Healthcare Broadmeadow in Middletown; 20 residents and 24 staff
• Churchman Village in Newark; 59 residents and 41 staff
• Foulk Manor South in Wilmington; 29 residents and 30 staff
• Hillside Center in Wilmington; 21 residents and 17 staff
• Kutz Senior Living in Wilmington; 25 residents and 18 staff
• Regal Heights Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Hockessin; 90 residents and 41 staff
• Westminster Village in Dover; 46 residents and 28 staff
• Brandywine Assisted Living at Seaside in Rehoboth Beach; 39 residents and 15 staff
• Milford Center, Genesis Healthcare in Milford; 46 residents and 14 staff
• Seaford Center Nursing Home in Seaford; 20 residents and 19 staff
• WillowBrooke Court Skilled Center at Manor House in Seaford; 41 residents and 33 staff
• WillowBrooke Court at Cokesbury Village in Hockessin; 13 residents and 14 staff
• Dover Place in Dover; 27 residents and 18 staff
• Cadia Healthcare Renaissance in Millsboro; 16 residents and 12 staff
• Harbor Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Lewes; 47 residents and 17 staff

Staff members may include health care and non-health care personnel, such as facility vendors or other individuals working in the long-term care facility who may not be full-time facility employees. Facilities listed represent those that have had a cumulative total of more than 10 cases among residents and more than 10 cases among staff to date since the beginning of the outbreak monitoring period, Sept. 25, 2020. As facility outbreak investigations close, they will be removed from this list.

As of Dec. 30, there have been a total of 1,916 positive COVID-19 cases cumulatively involving long-term care residents, and 499 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 (8)
• Cadia Healthcare Broadmeadow, Middletown (12)
• Cadia Healthcare Capitol, Dover (18)
• Cadia Healthcare Renaissance, Millsboro (10)
• Cadia Healthcare North Wilmington/Silverside, Wilmington (25)
• Churchman Village, Newark (7)
• Country Rest Home, Greenwood (11)
• Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill, Smyrna (13)
• Dover Place, Dover (3)
• 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 (3)
• Little Sisters of the Poor, Newark (11)
• Lofland Park Center, Genesis Healthcare, Seaford (6)
• ManorCare Health Services, Wilmington (14)
• ManorCare Health Services, Pike Creek (23)
• Methodist Country House, Wilmington (4)
• Millcroft, Newark (2)
• Milford Center, Genesis Healthcare, Milford (40)
• 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 (11)
• Regency Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, Wilmington (8)
• Summit Assisted Living, Hockessin (3)
• Sunrise Assisted Living, Wilmington (2)
• The Moorings at Lewes, Lewes (4)
• Westminster Village, Dover (13)
• WillowBrooke Court Skilled Center at Manor House, Seaford (2)
• Seven other New Castle County long-term care facilities (1 death at each facility)
• Three 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. These figures do not indicate that the infections were caused from being in the school setting, officials said.

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, 2020, and Dec. 30, 2020:

If you are sick with any of the following symptoms, 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.