Hospitalizations tied to coronavirus have moved well past the 300 mark in Delaware for the first time since spring.
The rising number led Gov. John Carney on Saturday to warn of a serious situation that could worsen in the holiday season.
“For anyone still not taking this winter surge seriously, now is the time to start. More than 300 Delawareans are currently in the hospital with Covid-19, and we are likely to soon pass our spring peak of 337 hospitalizations. We are facing a serious situation that promises only to get worse in the weeks ahead,” Carney stated.
“Delaware’s health care workers continue to work day and night to treat the sick and protect lives – as they’ve done throughout this crisis. We owe them a deep debt of gratitude and our respect. Let’s follow their lead. We all know what to do. Do not gather with friends or family outside your household. Wear a mask anytime you’re indoors with others you don’t live with. Wash or sanitize your hands frequently. A vaccine is on the way. But we need to stay vigilant. These are small, temporary sacrifices that will save lives,” Carney concluded.
The Division of Public Health reported a total of 322 current hospitalizations in its Sunday report, up nearly two dozen in recent days.
Delaware has between 400 to 500 total beds available for coronavirus patients and contingency plans for additional space.
The total number of critically ill patients fell by two from the Sunday report to 37, well below the peak figure of 71 in the spring. Treatments for Covid-19 patients have improved, and the age of those hospitalized has declined.
Coronavirus cases have taken a toll on front line workers, some of whom have been dealing with the pandemic since its start in March.
Eleven new deaths were reported on Sunday, including six from a Vital Statistics records review from November. The deaths involved seven individuals from New Castle County and four from Sussex County. They ranged in age from their 50s to their 90s, and all 11 individuals had underlying health conditions. Eight were residents of long-term care facilities. The number of deaths remained unchanged on Monday.
Contrary to the claims of some, the rate of deaths from Covid-19 pales in comparison to flu, with Delaware never seeing more than 140 deaths a year from that virus.
Chances of more hospitalizations continue to increase, with 800 new daily positive cases in the Monday report.
Of people tested, 22.9 percent were positive, unchanged in recent days in the seven-day rolling average.
When it came to total tests coming up positive, the figure was 9.7 percent up from 9.5 in a seven-day rolling average. According to World Health Organization figures, a five percent figure is considered to denote only moderate spread.
The total case figure takes into account those who have taken more than one Covid-19 test.
Figures are based on information gathered on Sunday night.
Below is a dashboard of current information.
For additional data, including breakdowns by age, sex, race/ethnicity, at the statewide, county, and, in some cases, zip code or census tract level, click here. https://myhealthycommunity.dhss.delaware.gov/locations/state.
