Coronavirus Information
We are closely monitoring the coronavirus outbreak in the United States. In light of growing concerns, Governor Carney issued a State of Emergency in Delaware.
Effective immediately and until further notice, access to Town Hall will be restricted to Town employees only. We encourage that all paperwork, including building plans and applications, be emailed or mailed in instead of dropped off to Town Hall. The Town also encourages the use of the online payments option on the Town’s website for making payments.
Essential in-person meetings with Town staff may be arranged by appointment. Please call or email the person you need to meet with to arrange an appointment time.
Town Hall currently remains open and essential services, including Police and Public Works, remain fully staffed and operational. Administrative Town staff will be working alternating split shifts, with two employees working at one time while the other two employees will be working at home.
Town employees are instructed to stay home if they are sick. We are encouraging Town employees and residents to practice sensible social distancing and avoid contact with others as much as possible.
Please continue to frequently check the Town’s website for additional updates. Any emergency instructions issued will also be broadcasted through Nixle (for more information, please visit: https://fenwickisland.delaware.gov/real-time-public-safety-notifications/).
The safety of our residents, visitors, businesses and all Town employees is our top priority.
Health care professionals and officials advise that more changes will occur, and more measures will be needed in the days, weeks, and months ahead. We will continue to look to the Delaware Division of Public Health for additional guidance; provide regular updates as we get them, and announce additional measures as the situation warrants.
For questions about COVID-19 or your exposure risk, please call the Division of Public Health’s Coronavirus Call Center at 1-866-408-1899 or TTY at 1-800-232-5460 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or email DPHCall@delaware.gov. For the latest on Delaware’s response, go to de.gov/coronavirus.
April 22, 2020
The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is announcing seven additional fatalities related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is providing an update on the number of positive cases and recovered individuals. All data reported through the daily updates are based on data received as of 6 p.m. the previous day.
In total, 89 Delawareans have passed away due to complications from COVID-19. Individuals who have died from COVID-19 ranged in age from 32 to 103 years old.
The most recent deaths all involve individuals with underlying health conditions, except for one individual:
62-year-old female from New Castle County, hospitalized long-term care resident
84-year-old male from New Castle County, hospitalized long-term care resident
62-year-old male from Kent County, hospitalized
74-year-old male from Kent County, hospitalized long-term care resident
50-year-old female from Sussex County, hospitalized, no known underlying health conditions
72-year-old male from Sussex County, hospitalized
88-year-old male from Sussex County, long-term care facility
To protect personal health information, DPH will not confirm specific information about any individual case, even if other persons or entities disclose it independently.
The latest Delaware COVID-19 case statistics cumulatively since March 11, provided as of 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 21, include:
3,200 total laboratory-confirmed cases
New Castle County cases: 1,352
Kent County cases: 503
Sussex County cases: 1,317
Unknown County: 28
Males: 1,435; Females: 1,756; Unknown: 9
Age range: 0 to 103
Currently hospitalized: 269; Critically ill: 69 (This data represents individuals currently hospitalized in a Delaware hospital regardless of residence, and is not cumulative.)
Delawareans recovered: 599
13,353 negative cases*
*Data are provisional and subject to change. Data on negative cases are preliminary, based on negative results reported to DPH by state and commercial laboratories performing analysis.
As of 6 p.m. yesterday, there have been 237 positive COVID-19 cases involving residents of long-term care facilities in Delaware. Fifty-two residents of Delaware long-term care facilities have died from complications related to COVID-19.
The locations and number of deaths related to long-term care facilities are:
Milford Center, Genesis Healthcare (18)
Little Sisters of the Poor, Newark (11)
Brandywine Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (5)
Parkview Nursing and Rehabilitation (3)
Atlantic Shores Rehabilitation and Health Center (3)
New Castle Health and Rehabilitation Center (3)
Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill (2)
Governor Bacon Health Center (1)
Three other New Castle County long-term care facilities (1 death at each facility)
Two other Sussex County long-term care facilities (1 death at each facility)
One Kent County long-term care facility (1 death at the facility)
DPH epidemiologists are transitioning to a new data reporting system. During the transition period, not all fields (county of residence, sex) have complete information.
Delaware is considering patients fully recovered seven days after the resolution of their symptoms. Three days after symptoms resolve, patients are no longer required to self-isolate at home; however, they must continue to practice strict social distancing for the remaining four days before returning to their normal daily routine.
If you are sick with any of the following symptoms, stay home: fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, muscle fatigue, or digestive symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain or lack of appetite. If you are sick and need essential supplies, ask someone else to go to the grocery store or the pharmacy to get what you need.
If you think you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, or have symptoms of illness, make sure to distance yourself from others, particularly vulnerable populations. Older adults and people of any age with serious underlying medical conditions – including serious heart conditions, chronic lung conditions, including moderate to severe asthma, severe obesity and those who are immunocompromised, including through cancer treatment – might be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
Statewide testing at standing health facility testing sites require a physician’s order or prescription to be tested (*Bayhealth patients will be pre-screened via phone without needing to see a provider first). These are not walk-in testing sites. Those without a primary care provider can call the DPH Call Center Line at 1-866-408-1899. In New Castle County, individuals can call ChristianaCare at 1-302-733-1000 and Sussex County residents who do not have a provider can call the Beebe COVID-19 Screening Line at 302-645-3200. Individuals awaiting test results, should wait to hear back from their medical provider. The DPH Call Center does not have test results.
Anyone with a question about COVID-19, whether related to medical or social service needs, should call Delaware 2-1-1; or 7-1-1 for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, or text your ZIP code to 898-211. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
In addition, the Division of Public Health asks any Delaware health care, long-term care, residential, or other high-risk facility with questions or concerns to email: DPH_PAC@delaware.gov or call the DPH Call Center at 1-866-408-1899 and press ext. 2.
Questions can also be submitted by email at DPHCall@delaware.gov. DPH will continue to update the public as more information becomes available. For the latest on Delaware’s response, go to de.gov/coronavirus.
Additional information:
- Please visit the Delaware Department of Education website to learn more about their student meal locations. Here: https://www.doe.k12.de.us/covid19
- We were told from DOE, that if a school district within your jurisdiction is not yet providing meals, that any child 18 and under can go to any other site throughout the state. They should not be asked where they are from, their age, school, etc.
- Community Testing Site Expansion
- Food Bank Mobile Pantry sites: https://www.fbd.org/covid-19-updates/
- DHSS FAQs on COVID-19: https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/epi/2019novelcoronavirus.html
- Assistance for small businesses: https://news.delaware.gov/2020/03/17/governor-carney-requests-federal-assistance-for-small-businesses/
- Executive Order for Child Care: Executive Order for Child Care
- Housing Assistance Program: housing assistance
- Unemployment Benefits: how to file for unemployment benefits; Delaware Department of Labor Unemployment Insurance FAQ.V3
- Frequently Asked Questions: QA – OFFICIAL AND APPROVED
- Enjoy trout season while maintaining a safe distance from other anglers and fishing less-crowded areas
- DHSS Announces First Long-Term Care Facility Coronavirus-Related Death; More Cases Confirmed in Newark Nursing Home
- Get Outside, But Protect Yourself
- DNREC hosts its first virtual public hearing
