The Delaware Division of Public Health reported 16 deaths from Covid-19 while hospitalizations declined for the sixth straight day.
Signs in the Wednesday report point to the state coming down from the peak of a winter surge driven by the Omicron variant.
Omicron cases, on average, are not as severe as those from the Delta variant, but the sheer number of new cases from the fast-spreading variant are contributing to the wave of hospitalizations, especially among the unvaccinated.
Delaware is also seeing a few more deaths among younger people who did not have underlying health conditions.
Of those who died nine were residents of New Castle County and seven from Sussex County, who ranged in age from their 30s to their 90s. Of the 16 who died, two did not have underlying health conditions and one was a resident of a long-term care facility. Ten were not vaccinated and six were fully vaccinated.
The deaths increased Delaware’s total number of Covid-related fatalities to 2,440.
The other numbers
• 1,278 new positive cases, bringing the overall total to 232,132.
• 28% of total tests were positive in the seven-day rolling average, down eight-tenths of a percent from the previous day.
• 667 current hospitalizations, down 16 from the previous day, including 69 in critical condition.
• 8,770 tests were performed daily in the seven-day average (down 148 from the previous day).
• 634,068 people fully vaccinated, the total was not updated today on the CDC Vaccine Tracker).
For more data, including breakdowns by age, sex, race/ethnicity, at the statewide, county, and, in some cases, ZIP code or census tract level, click here.
