99% of Delaware’s new COVID-19 cases that can be genotyped are Delta

Betsy PriceHeadlines, Health

Gov. John Carney issued more changes to his emergency orders.

Delawareans now can print out their COVID-19 vaccine records and those of their children.

 

As COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations continue to rise, the state said Friday that 99% of the positive COVID-19 samples it was able to genotype during the week were the Delta variant.

A state press release also said Delawareans can now access their state vaccination records and print them out.

The Delaware Division of Public Health’s weekly COVID-19 roundup press release said Friday that the daily number of new positive cases, averaged over seven days, had jumped to 396.7 as of Thursday, up from 354 the previous week.

The state lab each week randomly chooses samples from positive cases to genotype and see which strain it is.

Last week, the press release said, the lab checked 229 samples and 159 were positive for a variant strain, as were 2 additional specimens sequenced at an outside lab.  Ninety-nine percent of the 161 variant positive samples this week were identified as the Delta variant strain. further proof that Delta is causing the surge in cases.

The number of those hospitalized rose to 233, up 23 from last week. Of those, 48 are critically ill, up 14 from last week.

The state now has seen 121,283 cases reported among Delawareans and 1,888 deaths.  Of the 13 deaths reported in the past week, seven were from a review of vital statistics. 

 

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At the same time, the number of vaccinations continue a slow climb.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 76.3% of Delawareans ages 18 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine. State records show that 559,801 Delawareans 12 and older have received at least one vaccine shot and 500,441 Delawareans are fully vaccinated.

Those vaccinated have seen 1,843 breakthrough cases, which is four-tenths of 1% of vaccinated individuals. Of those, 45 were hospitalized and 21 died.

In Friday’s press release, state health officials urged Delaware residents to consider getting a vaccine during the Labor Day week, and to wear a mask indoors in public, in crowded outdoor settings and for any activities involving close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated.

The state also said Delawareans can now access their immunization records through the DelVAX Public Access Portal. Adults may print their own records. Parents and legal guardians can print  records for their child/children, up through age 17. For information, go here.

This portal is designed to assist those who need to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination but may have lost their vaccination card. DPH does not replace cards.

Individuals who need assistance can call 1-800-282-8672, or email [email protected]. Responses may take up to 48 hours.

 

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