CORONAVIRUS IN DELAWARE

Memorial Day weekend: Delaware reports 2 coronavirus deaths, 119 new cases

Brandon Holveck
Delaware News Journal

Delaware health officials on Sunday reported two deaths related to the coronavirus and 119 more cases.

Delaware has reported 8,809 cases and 326 deaths related to COVID-19 since the state reported its first case on March 11.

According to the state's latest figures, 211 residents are currently hospitalized. That number peaked April 27 at 337. 

Wilmington residents get tested for Covid-19 at a drive-thru screening and testing center hosted by ChristianaCare at P.S. du Pont Middle School Tuesday afternoon.

The state has said it's focused more on the hospitalization rate and the percentage of people who test positive than the gross numbers. Downward trends in each have led the state to institute a number of "interim steps" ahead of June 1, when Delaware is slated to enter the first phase of its reopening plan.

CORONAVIRUS IN DELAWARE: A daughter details losing her dad to COVID-19 in Delaware nursing home

One of the most notable steps was reopening the Delaware beaches Friday afternoon ahead of Memorial Day weekend. A mostly overcast and cool day kept the boardwalks relatively clear and the beach mostly empty Sunday. Despite 70-degree weather on Saturday it looked more like a nice spring day than the unofficial start of summer along this ocean coast.

Crowds were down on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend as visitors slowly came out to the reopened beach and boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach.

The deaths announced Sunday were age 33 and 88. One had underlying health conditions and was a resident of a long-term care facility. New Castle County and Sussex County each reported a death. 

To date, New Castle County has reported the most deaths of Delaware's counties, 148. Kent County has reported 56 cases and Sussex County has reported 121 cases. 

BEACHES: Heading to a Delaware beach for Memorial Day? Here's what you need to know about reopening

Sussex County leads in number of confirmed cases with 4,103. New Castle County has reported 3,309 and Kent County has reported 1,340.

According to the state's latest figures, 4,598 Delawareans who tested positive have recovered. 

Contact Brandon Holveck at bholveck@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @holveck_brandon.