COVID-19 cases have dropped in Delaware in recent weeks, and state officials point to a few reasons why.
Over the past month, the number of new COVID cases, hospitalizations, positive tests, and people testing positive are all getting lower, but are not where state officials want them to be.
Sttate public health officals reported Wednesday the state's 7-day average of new cases is at 364.9 - down from a peak of 823 in early January. The average of postive tests is at 6 percent after topping 10 in early January.
Hospitalization are also on a steady decline, standing at 252 Wednesday.
Division of Public Health director Dr. Karyl Rattay says she believes the drop in numbers is the result of fewer social gatherings following the holidays.
"We saw a lot of clusters of cases related to these indoor gatherings and in January into February we just haven't seen as much," said Rattay. "So I really do think that the indoor gathering behaviors has helped us to see a decrease."
Gov. John Carney thinks the declining numbers indicate Delawareans are simply following state guidelines.
"I'd like to believe that Delawareans have really pulled together and follow the restrictions and the guidance we put in place, they've worn masks, they've kept social distancing," said Carney.
Last week, there was also a drop in tests of about 12,000, but Carney and state officials attributed that to the state’s recent bouts with winter weather.
The drop in cases comes as Delaware loosens capacity restrictions. Starting Friday, restaurants, businesses, and indoor gatherings can operate at 50 percent capacity.
The state's death toll since the start of the pandemic is now 1,245 after 24 deaths were reported Wednesday, but state health officials point out 13 of those deaths were a result of a regularly occurring review of Vital Statistics death certificate records and do not necessarily reflect those that occurred in recent days.
