COVID-19 pandemic in Delaware
The COVID-19 pandemic was reported to have reached the U.S. state of Delaware on March 11, 2020, in New Castle County. As of June 20, 2020, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services reported 10,681 cases and 434 deaths in the state, with 6,395 recoveries.
| COVID-19 pandemic in Delaware | |
|---|---|
 Map of the outbreak in Delaware by confirmed new infections per 100,000 people (14 days preceding August 13)
500+ confirmed new cases
200–500 confirmed new cases
100–200 confirmed new cases
50–100 confirmed new cases
20–50 confirmed new cases
10–20 confirmed new cases
0–10 confirmed new cases
No confirmed new cases or no data | |
 Map of the outbreak in Delaware by total confirmed infections per 100,000 people (as of August 13)
3,000+ confirmed infected
1,000–3,000 confirmed infected
300–1,000 confirmed infected
100–300 confirmed infected
30–100 confirmed infected
0–30 confirmed infected
No confirmed infected or no data | |
| Disease | COVID-19 |
| Virus strain | SARS-CoV-2 |
| Location | Delaware, U.S. |
| Index case | New Castle County |
| Arrival date | March 11, 2020 |
| Confirmed cases | 12,933 |
| Suspected cases‡ | 991 |
| Hospitalized cases | 56 (current) |
| Recovered | 7,893 |
Deaths | 529 (confirmed and probable) |
| Government website | |
| Delaware Department of Health and Social Services | |
| ‡Suspected cases have not been confirmed as being due to this strain by laboratory tests, although some other strains may have been ruled out. | |
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Timeline
March
March 4
On March 4, in preparation for the spread of COVID-19 in Delaware, the Delaware Division of Public Health opened a coronavirus call center at its State Health Operation Center in Smyrna to assist with questions that businesses, schools, and people may have about the disease.[1]
March 11–13
On March 11, the Delaware Division of Public Health announced its first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in Delaware. The positive case involved a man over the age of 50 in New Castle County who was associated with the University of Delaware.[2]
On March 12, Delaware Governor John Carney declared a state of emergency. This allowed for the Delaware National Guard to take precautionary actions and prepare for further response to the disease, for the state to conduct public meetings electronically, and prevent the price gouging of goods. Governor Carney also recommended that all non-essential public gatherings of over 100 people be canceled, following CDC guidelines.[3] Three more positive cases of coronavirus were confirmed on March 12. The patients were two graduate students and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Delaware.[4] Delaware State University President Dr. Tony Allen advised all students to not return to campus until at least April 5. He also announced that all classes from March 18 until April 5 will take place online.[5]
On March 13, the Downtown Dover Partnership announced the cancellation of the St. Patrick's Day parade due to coronavirus concerns.[6] Late on March 13, Governor Carney closed all Delaware Public Schools from March 16 to 27.[7] In addition, the University of Delaware announced that all classes after spring break would be moved to an all-online format for the remainder of the semester. All University of Delaware on-campus housing would close for students who remained on the campus during spring break on March 17 at 10:00 pm and for all students who were returning to campus on March 22 at 10:00 pm.[8]
March 14–16
On March 14, the Delaware Division of Public Health announced two more positive cases of coronavirus in the state. The two new patients were both self-quarantining in New Castle County: a woman older than 50 and a man older than 60. This increased the number of total positive cases in Delaware to 6.[9]
Delaware announced their seventh case in the state on March 15; the case is associated with the University of Delaware.[10]
The Delaware Division of Public Health announced on March 16 that a woman over 50 in New Castle County was confirmed to have coronavirus. The total number of positive cases increased to 8 in Delaware with the addition of this case.[11]
March 17–19
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It was announced on March 17 that eight additional positive cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the state, including the first in Sussex County. Of the patients, four were men and four were women, though their ages were not revealed. This increased the total number of positive cases to 16 in Delaware.[12]
On March 18, the DDHS announced the addition of 10 more positive cases in the state of Delaware, including the first three in Kent County. All three of Delaware's counties had at least one coronavirus case by March 18. The addition of these cases increased the cumulative number of positive cases to 26 for the state.[13]
Dover Air Force Base declared a public health emergency on March 18, allowing for tighter restrictions of the movement of people on the base, including personnel restrictions and access restrictions to the base's installation. In addition, the emergency allowed the isolation and quarantine procedures for the base to go into effect.[14]
On March 19, the number of cases was confirmed to have increased to 30: 23 in New Castle, 3 in Sussex, and 4 in Kent Counties.[15]
March 20–22
On March 20, the state reported 27 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Castle County, five in Kent County and seven in Sussex County, which brings the total to 39, with two people being in critical condition.
The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) had reported 30 COVID-19 cases in the state just the day before. DPH said testing is recommended for people with a fever and either a cough or shortness of breath.[16]
Government agency closures
Schools
On April 24, Governor John Carney made the decision to close all Delaware schools for the remainder of the 2019–20 academic school year. "Nothing replaces in-person instruction and the services that are delivered in our schools every day, but the health and safety of Delawareans is our first priority", he said.[17]
Libraries
On March 17, The Delaware Division of Libraries announced that all Delaware Public Libraries were to be temporarily closed until further notice, and to evaluate before reopening of libraries and follow guidelines provided by public health officials.[18]
Government response
March
March 12
Delaware Governor John Carney declared a state of emergency on March 12, allowing for the Delaware National Guard to prepare for the coronavirus' spread.[3] He would close all public schools in the state on March 13.[7]
March 13
The City of Dover canceled all permits for event gatherings of over 100 people on March 13, citing the governor's recommendation.[6]
March 16
On March 16, all public libraries within Delaware have been closed until further notice. Restaurants were ordered to stop dine-in services at 8 pm EST, moving to take-out and delivery only services.[19]
March 23
On March 23, Governor Carney issued the stay-at-home order to stop the spread of COVID-19. All non-essential businesses have been ordered to close. Governor Carney issued the order Sunday night, set to go in effect Tuesday morning at 8 a.m., stating "All non-essential businesses are closed. All Delawareans are instructed to stay in their homes, except when they are going to and from their place of business if it's permitted to stay open". This shelter-in-place order will remain in effect until May 15.[20] Additionally, Delaware schools are to remain closed through May 15 to fight the spread of COVID-19.[21]
March 29
On March 29, Governor Carney ordered all travelers from outside the state to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arriving in Delaware. Exemptions from the self-quarantine requirement included people only traveling through Delaware, people traveling to an essential job, and people traveling to care for family members.[22]
April
April 17
On April 17, Governor Carney announced that schools in the state will remain closed until May 18, with updates coming if necessary. He also mentioned that there is not enough information yet to make a decision regarding the remainder of the year.[23]
April 24
On April 24, Governor Carney announced that schools in the state will remain closed for the remainder of the school year. Schools will continue to use remote learning.[24]
April 25
On April 25, Governor Carney announced that Delaware residents must wear face coverings when in public, including when shopping, visiting a medical office or using public transportation.[25]
May
May 5
On May 5, Governor Carney announced that the state would start testing all residents and staff at long-term care facilities.[26]
May 8
On May 8, Governor Carney allowed for retail stores to open for the curbside pickup while also allowing for barbershops and salons to reopen with restrictions.[26]
May 22
On May 22, Governor Carney allowed for the Delaware Beaches and community pools to reopen ahead of Memorial Day weekend. Social distancing was enforced while masks were required on the boardwalk.[27]
June
June 1
On June 1, Delaware entered Phase 1 of its reopening plan. In this reopening phase, many businesses were allowed to reopen at 30 percent capacity, including restaurants, retail stores, shopping malls, museums, barbershops, salons, gyms, and casinos. In addition, outdoor gatherings of up to 250 people were allowed. With the move to Phase 1, the ban on short-term property rentals along with the 14-day self-quarantine requirement for out-of-state travelers were both lifted.[28]
June 8
On June 8, tattoo shops, massage parlors, and nail salons were allowed to reopen at 30 percent capacity.[29]
June 15
On June 15, Delaware entered Phase 2 of its reopening plan. In this reopening phase, businesses open in Phase 1 were allowed to increase their capacity to 60 percent. In addition, childcare services were allowed to open to everyone after having previously been restricted to children of essential workers.[29]
June 25
On June 25, Governor Carney delayed entering Phase 3 of its reopening plan due to "too many Delawareans and visitors are not following basic public health precautions."[30]
June 30
On June 30, Governor Carney ordered bars at the Delaware Beaches to close indefinitely, beginning on July 3, ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend. During the month of June, a spike in cases was seen in Dewey Beach and Rehoboth Beach.[31] Bars are prohibited from allowing customers to sit or stand at the bar, however, bars may remain open to prepare drinks to be served to customers sitting at tables.[32]
July
Impact on sports
In college sports, the National Collegiate Athletic Association canceled all winter and spring tournaments, most notably the Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, affecting colleges and universities statewide.[33] On March 16, the National Junior College Athletic Association also canceled the remainder of the winter seasons as well as the spring seasons.[34]
On March 16, the NASCAR race weekend scheduled to be held at Dover International Speedway from May 1-3 was postponed.[35] The races from that weekend were rescheduled to the August 21-23 race weekend to form a doubleheader.[36] The races at Dover International Speedway will be held without fans in attendance.[37]
Statistics
| County [lower-alpha 1] | Cases [lower-alpha 2] | Deaths | Recovered | Pop (2019) | cases/100k | CFR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 / 3 | 13,337 | 521 | 7,283 | 974,051 | 1,369.2 | 3.9% |
| Kent | 1,978 | 94 | 1,059 | 180,396 | 1,096.4 | 4.8% |
| New Castle | 5,981 | 249 | 3,157 | 564,568 | 1,059.3 | 4.2% |
| Sussex | 5,244 | 178 | 3,067 | 229,087 | 2,289.0 | 3.4% |
| Unknown | 134 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Updated July 17, 2020 Data is publicly reported by Delaware Department of Public Health and Environment[38][39] | ||||||
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See also
- Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States – for impact on the country
- COVID-19 pandemic – for impact on other countries
References
- "Delaware Opens Coronavirus Call Center". wboc.com. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
- "Public Health Announces First Presumptive Positive Case of Coronavirus in Delaware Resident". State of Delaware News. March 11, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
- Lu, Amy. "Governor Carney Declares State of Emergency Amidst Coronavirus Outbreak". wboc.com. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
- "Coronavirus In Delaware: Governor Declares State Of Emergency As 3 More University Of Delaware Members Test Positive For COVID-19". March 12, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
- "Coronavirus". March 15, 2020. Archived from the original on March 15, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
- Lehman, Tom. "Dover Cancels Permits for Large Events in Light of COVID-19 State of Emergency". wboc.com. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
- Semyon, Cassandra. "Delaware Schools on Hiatus for Two Weeks Due to COVID-19". wboc.com. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
- "March 13 Coronavirus update: residence halls to close | UDaily". udel.edu. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
- "DPH Announces 2 More Likely Positive Cases of COVID-19 in Delaware". wboc.com. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
- "7th coronavirus case confirmed in Delaware". 6abc Philadelphia. March 15, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
- "JUST IN: Eighth positive coronavirus case confirmed in Delaware, DPH says". 47abc. March 16, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
- "First COVID-19 Case in Sussex County Reported, State Cases Double". wboc.com. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
- "UPDATE: Delaware COVID-19 Cases Rise to 26, Kent and Sussex Record 3 Positive Tests Each". wboc.com. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
- Kerr, Rose. "Dover Air Force Base Declares Public Health Emergency". wboc.com. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
- "Four additional cases announced in Delaware". 47abc. March 19, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
- "Delaware COVID-19 Cases Rise to 38". wboc.com. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
- https://news.delaware.gov/2020/04/24/delaware-schools-closed-through-academic-year/
- https://lib.de.us/letter-from-ala/
- "Letter from ALA". Delaware Libraries. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- Semyon, Cassandra. "Delaware Prepares for Stay at Home Order". wboc.com. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
- Lehman, Tom. "Delaware Schools to Remain Closed Through May 15 to Fight Spread of COVID-19". wboc.com. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
- "Governor Carney Orders Out-of-State Travelers to Immediately Self-Quarantine for 14 Days". Delaware.gov. March 29, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- "Del. schools to remain closed until May 18th, additional updates from Gov. Carney". 47abc. April 17, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- Porter, Ira (April 24, 2020). "Carney announces Delaware schools will close for the year". Delaware News-Journal. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- Shannon, Josh (April 25, 2020). "Delawareans must cover their faces when out in public, Carney orders". Newark Post.
- Gamard, Sarah; Kuang, Jeanne; Parra, Esteban (May 5, 2020). "Some Delaware businesses can reopen on Friday. Find out which ones and their limitations". The News Journal. Wilmington, DE. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Goebel, Taylor (May 14, 2020). "Delaware to reopen beaches May 22 with restrictions: What you need to know". Salisbury Daily Times. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Staff (June 1, 2020). "Del. Enters Phase 1 of Reopening as Salons, Restaurants Open at 30% Capacity". Philadelphia, PA: WCAU-TV. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Perez, Walter (June 3, 2020). "Delaware announces plan to move into Phase II of economic reopening". Philadelphia, PA: WPVI-TV. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- "Carney announces delay of Phase 3 in Delaware". 47abc. June 25, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- "Carney closes beach bars ahead of Fourth Of July weekend". Cape Gazette. June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
- "BREAKING: Gov. Carney orders bars to close at Delaware beaches after a cluster of cases". 47abc. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships NCAA, March 12, 2020,
- NJCAA cancels spring sports, basketball nationals amid coronavirus outbreak MLive.com, March 16, 2020,
- "NASCAR statement: All race events through May 3 postponed". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. March 16, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
- "Daytona road course to replace Watkins Glen race". Associated Press. July 8, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
- "Dover International Speedway's Aug. 21-23 NASCAR Weekend to be Held Without Fans Due to COVID-19 Concerns". Salisbury, MD: WBOC-TV. July 27, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
- "Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)". Delaware.gov. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
- "CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) TRACKER - State of Delaware". Delaware Health and Human Social Services. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to COVID-19 pandemic in Delaware. |
- Coronavirus information from the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services
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