According to the dashboard from the Delaware Division of Public Health, Delaware’s rate of positive Covid-19 cases rose to 1.7% this week, following a low of 1% earlier in the summer.
The higher case rate was reflected in hospitalizations, which rose to 31, after dropping below 20 last month. Hospital stays were high as 474 during the past winter.
The 1.9% figure is well below the 5% – often viewed as a sign of moderate spread of the virus. However, the higher rate was not a surprise due to increased travel and an end to restrictions.
The state’s rate of positive cases hovered around 5% last summer but rose later in the year.
Delaware public health officials warned that the virus remains a threat and advised those not vaccinated to wear masks and get vaccines. The warning came as an outbreak in Toyko led officials to ban spectators from the Olympics.
A total of 1,695 Delawareans have died due to complications from Covid-19, unchanged in recent days.
Delaware achieved President Biden’s 70% goal of partially or fully vaccinated adults by July 4th.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 70.6% of Delawareans 18 and over have received at least one dose of the vaccine. The national rate is about 67%.
About seven in ten vaccinations are taking place in the state’s pharmacies. State efforts focus on areas with low vaccination rates or populations that have more difficulty getting to vaccination sites.
Delaware trails the neighboring states of New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania in the percentage of adults that have received at least one vaccine dose but remains in the top 20 in vaccination rates.
Below is a graphic from Big Local News on the case and vaccination rates by states and counties. Laptop and desktop computer users can click on the headers below or maps for data on cases, fatalities, and vaccinations in Delaware and other states.
According to the graphic, nearly 59% of Delaware’s population has been fully or partially vaccinated, with slightly more than half of all residents fully vaccinated.
