Covid update: Downturn in new cases as hospitalizations rise

(Editor’s note: Page may be slow to load due to the use of interactive maps and  graphics)

The Monday report from the Delaware Division of Public Health showed a downturn in new cases as hospitalizations again showed an increase.

Other numbers

• No new deaths were reported as of Sunday night, keeping Delaware’s total number of COVID-related deaths at 1,566.
• 203 new positive cases, bringing the overall total to 96,577.
• 23 percent  of people who tested positive in the 7-day rolling average (down six-tenths of a percent from the previous day) and 5.6 percent of total tests were positive in the seven-day rolling average (down one-tenth of a percent from the previous day).
  • 167 current hospitalizations (up nine from the previous day), including 18 individuals in critical condition.
  • 27 new hospital admissions, up 4 from the previous day.
  • 503,018 total vaccine doses administered (up 2,536 from the previous day).

As of Thursday,  the Division of Public Health has identified the following Covid-19 variants in Delaware through routine surveillance of test specimens. The variants are based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list of Variants of Concern and Variants of Interest.

• The cases include 87 adults ranging in age from 18-84 and 18 individuals under the age of 18. Age is currently unknown for three individuals.
• Seventy-five individuals were from New Castle County, 17 were from Kent County, and 14 were from Sussex County. The county of residence is currently unknown for two individuals.
• The Delaware Public Health Laboratory has sequenced 1,338 specimens for COVID-19 variant strains to date, including 184 within the past week.
• Variants are being closely watched due to indications of more rapid spread than the original strain.
• Public health officials are now in a race to vaccinate more people and hold down a surge in infections that has already led to restrictions in Europe.

Below is a map of Covid-19 cases in the past 14 days that shows Delaware firmly in the red zone with high growth of new cases. Laptop users can enlarge the map and tap on individual counties to see case data.

• Below is an interactive map courtesy of the Delaware Division of Public Health. Laptop computer users can tap on the zip code area to see case information.

  A growing number of zip codes are seeing more than 300 cases per 100,000 population, but no outbreaks of 500 cases per 100,000.

  Click here for additional data, including breakdowns by age, sex, race/ethnicity, at the statewide, county, and, in some cases, ZIP code or census tract level.