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Minority communities have felt the brunt of the coronavirus in Delaware.

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The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Delaware has surpassed 5,000, according to state figures. 

Nine more people, ranging from the age of 26 to 98, have died from the virus, health officials said Saturday. This is up from the seven deaths announced the previous day.

The deaths of the seven women and two men have pushed Delaware’s death toll to 168.

Of the newly reported deaths:

  • Six were New Castle County residents.
  • Two were Kent County residents.
  • One was a Sussex County resident.

All had underlying health conditions, and eight of them were residents of long-term care facilities.

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The state had 5,038 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Saturday afternoon. 

Sussex County, which has nearly half the state’s positive cases, reported 2,359 cases – up 67 from the previous day. 

New Castle County reported 1,864, which is a jump of 35 more from the previous day. Meanwhile, Kent County reported 20 more cases to land at 793.

Twenty-two cases are from an unknown county.

The latest state statistics also show that 2,709 women have coronavirus in Delaware, while 2,308 men have the virus. The numbers did not provide the gender of 21 people.

The age range of people who have the disease runs from 0 to 103. 

While state figures show that new hospitalizations have been declining, there are 300 people hospitalized – 64 of them critically ill.

The state also reported that 1,546 people had recovered from the virus.

Also on Saturday, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services acknowledged the deaths of three patients at two of its mental health facilities. 

Two women, both residents of Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill in Smyrna, have died from the virus. The 53-year-old woman died on April 24, while the 49-year-old died on Wednesday. Both deaths occurred at a hospital in Kent County.

The third person, a 64-year-old man in the care of the Delaware Psychiatric Center, died on April 23 at a New Castle County hospital.

“These losses have had a tremendous impact on the staffs of our facilities, too, and I want to honor their selfless dedication and commitment in serving the individuals in our care,” DHSS Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker said in a statement. “Across our state, our thoughts and prayers also go out to all of the families who have lost loved ones to COVID-19, including those in long-term care facilities.”

This is a developing story. Check back with delawareonline.com for more information.

Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, [email protected] or Twitter @eparra3.

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