Carney: State has not reached peak in coronavirus cases

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Healthcare organizations are whittling away at long waiting times for coronavirus tests, Gov. John Carney said Thursday.

During a briefing-press conference, Carney also said a widely used University of Washington tracking report on coronavirus was incorrect in claiming the state is reaching its peak in COVID-19 cases.

All figures point to a growing number of cases and hospitalizations, Carney stated.

Carney not ruling further business restrictions

Carney did not rule out taking further measures to shut down other businesses if signs point to noncompliance in terms of the maximum number of shoppers or social distancing.

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There have been questions about businesses like food trucks remaining open, while ice cream stands were shut down this week.

Turning to testing, Carney noted that hospitals had been dealing with turnaround times of a week or more. The turnaround times have since been reduced to four days. Some tests can take only a few minutes.

The rapid tests offer insights into the spread of the virus and better ensure the safety of frontline healthcare workers exposed to COVID-19.

Rapid tests discussed

Rapid tests were used in detecting an outbreak reported on Wednesday at the Delaware Psychiatric Center. Those affected are in isolation. Delaware, like other states, has seen COVID-19 outbreaks at care facilities.

Division of Public Health Director Dr. Karyl Rattay discussed the state’s recommendation that residents wear cloth facemasks in situations where social distancing is difficult, one example being grocery shopping.

She emphasized that the recommendation is not a requirement and added that the covering should be worn properly, covering the nose and mouth.

According to Rattay, the state is monitoring racial disparities regarding coronavirus. Test forms will now identify those testing positive and negative by race.

Some states have reported that the virus is claiming that more lives of people of color than whites.

To date, 16 of the 19 people who have died of coronavirus in Delaware are white.

Delaware Emergency Management Agency chief A.J. Schall said projections indicate that 500 Delawareans will be hospitalized for coronavirus in the coming weeks.

So far, hospitals have sufficient capacity to handle the cases, thanks to canceling elective surgeries and taking other steps.

Schall praised hospitals in the state for working together. In northern Delaware, this includes ChristianaCare, the VA, Saint Francis Healthcare and Nemours.

Work continues on back-up facilities that will be needed if hospitalizations spike.

So far, a portion of the Nemours campus in north Wilmington, the Governor Bacon Health Center and a field hospital are in the works.

Schall said the state continues to work to secure medical supplies by attempting to buy in bulk or even in small qualities in a competitive environment.

Asked about the lack of data on coronavirus cases released in relation to zip codes and neighborhoods, public health chief Rattay said Delaware has stiffer privacy laws than other states. She suggested this might be an issue for the legislature to revisit.

Also discussed were recent coronavirus cases at Sussex County poultry plants. While inspectors are satisfied with conditions inside the plants, there is concern about the spread of coronavirus in communities in Sussex County with a large number of poultry plant workers and families who could be vulnerable to community spread.

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