The rate of positive cases of coronavirus rose as of Sunday night.
The Delaware Division of Public Health reported on Sunday it had identified a data glitch that caused duplicate records to be included in the total number of positive cases.
The division is working to address the issue by excluding duplicate records. As a result, the cumulative total of positive cases today decreased from the day before.
A total of 92 new positive cases were reported, with 4.9 percent testing positive in a seven-day rolling average (up one-tenth of a percent from the previous day).
The state has hovered around the 5 percent mark in positive cases, leading to an on-again, off-again quarantine order by New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C. The states and D.C. do not take into account a surge in late tests that temporarily boost the rate of positives. Delaware lists the results by the day the test was taken.
Delaware is off the quarantine list for now, but, due to its small population, remains in a position where even a small uptick in cases can lead to advisories.
A declining rate of positive cases would allow more room for more in-class instruction in schools. State officials would like to see a percentage of 3 percent or below.
The rate of positive cases has risen after falling to 3.6 percent a couple of weeks ago.
Delaware Division of Public Health spokesperson Jen Brestel said no reason for the increase has been reported by hospitals.
State Rep. Paul Baumbach, D-Newark, who has developed metrics based on state results, says the number of tests is running a couple of thousand a week below desired levels.
The number of people tested has been declining, absent news about outbreaks of the virus and conflicting advice on the federal level. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised that those without symptoms, but who have been exposed to the virus do not necessarily need to take a test. That runs counter to advice from the State of Delaware.
The Johns Hopkins dashboard shows Delaware ranking 15th in the percentage of tests per 100,000 population, about double the rate of Pennsylvania and half the rate of No. 1 Rhode Island.
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.
Also available is the Division of Public Health’s dashboard below.
