The Delaware Division of Public Health reported a modest increase in Covid-19 cases following the Thanksgiving holiday period.
According to the most recent data on the state’s My Healthy Community dashboard, the statewide seven-day average of new positive Covid-19 cases has increased slightly following Thanksgiving and other gatherings over the past month.
Hospitalizations have also increased. As holiday travel increases. As families gather in the coming weeks, residents are urged to remain vigilant.
DPH advises that Deawareans should consider masking up while shopping, testing before and after gatherings, and getting the Covid booster.
As of Dec. 15, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported COVID-19 community levels in Kent and Sussex counties as medium. New Castle County remains low.
DPH noted that a recently published Commonwealth Fund study estimates that from December 2020 through November 2022, the U.S. Covid-19 vaccination program prevented more than 3.2 million additional deaths and 18.5 million additional hospitalizations.
In addition, the modeling indicates that there would have been nearly 120 million more Covid-19 infections over that time period and the vaccination program saved more than $1.15 trillion in medical costs.
Given the increases in cases amid the co-circulation of three respiratory viruses, getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is more important than ever, DPH advised.
DPH expects the supply of these bivalent doses for infants and toddlers to arrive in Delaware this week. As soon as the supply is received, providers may begin administration. Full details and information about where to obtain these vaccines are available at de.gov/boosters and de.gov/youthvaccine.
Starting Thursday, Dec. 15 Covid-19 data reporting on the Division of Public Health’s My Healthy Community (MHC) data portal will move from daily to weekly updates. This is consistent with the CDC’s reporting structure, which moved to provide weekly data updates in October.
Going forward, the Covid-19 dashboard will be updated every Wednesday with a reporting time frame from Wednesday of the prior week to Tuesday of the current week.
In the event of a significant surge in cases, while DPH will not revert back to daily data reporting on the dashboard, the agency will work to make more real-time data available.
Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations:
- – Total positive cases since March 11, 2020: 319,477
- – Seven-day daily average of new positive cases: 159.1, an increase of 53.2 average new positive cases reported since Nov 18, 2022
- – Seven-day daily average for the percentage of total positive tests: 9.4 percentage points, an increase of 2.7 percentage points reported since Nov 18, 2022
- – Hospitalizations: 148 current hospitalizations, 11 critical hospitalizations
- – Total Covid-19 deaths: 3,185, an increase of 22 since last month, including 21 as a result of an ongoing Vital Statistics review of deaths occurring between February and November.
Covid-19 vaccinations:
- – Total number of doses administered in Delaware: 2,083,675
- – Percentage of Delawareans 5+ who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 76.2%
- – Percentage of Delawareans 12+ who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 80.3%
- – Percentage of Delawareans 18+ who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 81.8%
- – Percent of Delawareans who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 72%
