Delaware sees 1,000+ new COVID-19 cases four days in a row

Charles MegginsonHeadlines, Health

Delaware broke its all-time record for new daily cases of COVID-19. One day later, it broke the record again. Photo by Sam Johnson/Pixabay.

The day after Delaware broke its all-time record for new daily cases of COVID-19, the record was broken again.

On Christmas Eve, 1,587 Delawareans tested positive for the virus.

The previous state record was 1,393 on Dec. 23. Delaware had not seen such high numbers since Jan. 6 when 1,241 tested positive. 

On Christmas day, 1,294 new cases were reported, meaning the state broke 1,000 positive tests four days in a row. 

There were no deaths reported during the four-day period. 

The Delaware Division of Public Health took the opportunity to once again warn people not to travel, go to work, or attend holiday gatherings if they feel sick.

Testing

In response, the Department of Health and Social Services has announced that it will increase COVID testing significantly this week.

The agency noted in a press release that Curative — the state’s contracted COVID testing provider — did almost 50% more tests last week than the week before.

Testing appointments can be made at curative.com or any other testing location, but walk-ins will be limited. 

The department is encouraging Delawareans to get tested as early in the week as possible because many testing sites will be closed Friday, Dec. 31, Saturday, Jan. 1 and Sunday, Jan. 2 for the New Year holiday weekend.

Testing sites can be found at de.gov/gettested or curative.com.

At-home test kits (for Delaware residents only) can be ordered at at de.gov/gettested.


Click here to see weekly pop-up testing sites in New Castle County.

Click here to see weekly pop-up testing sites in Kent County.

Click here to see weekly pop-up testing sites in Sussex County.


While health officials have been warning about a rapid rise in the number of cases thanks to the Omicron variant, which is supposed to be more infectious than the strains that preceded, the Delta variant is still the dominant strain in Delaware.

The state said that of the 416 positive samples tested the week of Dec. 16-Dec. 22, 280 were able to be sequenced. Of those, 247 were Delta strain and 33 were Omicron strain. That brings to total number of Omicron cases to 37 cases, but there are likely hundreds more, because only a small number of cases from any week are tested.

The Division of Public Health also reported:

  • 1,294 new positive cases, bringing the overall total to 172,827. The cumulative breakdown by county: New Castle, 97,631 cases; Kent, 32,682, Sussex, 41,826, county not yet known, 688.
  • 44.1% of people who tested positive in the 7-day rolling average (up 1.4 percentage points from the previous day) and 10.9% of total tests were positive in the 7-day rolling average (unchanged from the previous day).
  • 388 current hospitalizations (up 2 from the previous day), including 55 individuals in critical condition.
  • 16 new hospital admissions (unchanged from the previous day).
  • 654 people tested negative, bringing the total to 758,569.
Vaccinations

While cases are rising, vaccinations are slowly increasing, too. The state pointed to Centers for Disease Control stats that said:

  • 621,891 people are fully vaccinated in Delaware.*
  • 1,564,474 total vaccine doses have been administered in Delaware.*
    • *Because of the holiday, the CDC will not update vaccine totals again until Dec. 27.

To find a vaccine in Delaware, go to de.gov/getmyvaccine.

Here is where the Public Health Vaccine Mobile Units will be:

  • Tuesday, Dec. 28: DeLaWarr State Service Center, 500 Rogers Road, New Castle, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Smyrna State Service Center, 200 S. DuPont Blvd., Suite 100, Smyrna, 9 a.m. to noon.; Laurel State Service Center, 31039 North Poplar St., Laurel, 9 a.m. to noon.
  • Wednesday, Dec. 29: Claymont State Service Center, 3301 Green St., Claymont, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Thursday, Dec. 30: Appoquinimink State Service Center, 122 Silver Lake Road, Middletown, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Smyrna State Service Center, 200 S. DuPont Blvd., Smyrna, 9 a.m. to noon; Laurel State Service Center, 31039 North Poplar St., Laurel, 9 a.m. to noon.

Some dates may be rescheduled if there is inclement weather.

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