By Tim Mastro

WILMINGTON — Gov. John Carney said the state is close to loosening restrictions for businesses, depending on what COVID-19 case rates and percent-positive rates look like later this week.

Gov. Carney mentioned a week ago expanded capacity would be coming in the near future. As Delaware’s COVID-19 statistics have slightly increased over the last week, the governor is reassessing for the moment, saying a possible announcement could come later this week or next.

“It is still our hope,” Gov. Carney said. “I’m a little hesitant now given the numbers that we’ve seen over the last week. We’re still working on it, there may be something this week. It depends on how these numbers trend.”

One of the things driving Gov. Carney’s hesitancy at the moment is monitoring any increases in cases due to St. Patrick’s Day celebrations last week.

“I’m a little concerned about St. Patrick’s Day and the outcome of that frivolity,” he said.

All of Delaware’s COVID-19 increases are slight, but come after the state experienced a significant downward trend in February and early March. Gov. Carney said based on conference calls with the White House, he is wary about reopening if numbers are plateauing and then rising again.

Delaware is averaging 222.7 new positive cases per day over the last seven days — the second-highest total since March 7. The new case rate was as low as 189.6 new cases per day on March 16 but went above 200 on March 17 and has remained above 200 since.

Hospitalizations experienced a 2021 low of 83 on March 11 but have risen over 100 for the last eight days of available data. The number of individuals hospitalized with the virus is at 107, as of Monday at 6 p.m., with 10 of those cases considered critical, according to the Delaware Division of Public Health.

Delaware’s seven-day rolling average of percentage of positive tests is at 4.2% — the highest mark since March 6. However that is still below the World Health Organization’s recommended mark of 5%.

Gov. Carney said any reopening would be gradual. Businesses are currently operating at 50% capacity and have been since Feb. 12.

“We’re trying to match the restrictions and the reopening with the conditions on the ground,” Gov. Carney said. “We don’t want to open a day too soon or a day too late. Striking that balance is challenging. That’s why the uptick we’re seeing in new positive cases, percent-positives and hospitalizations is a little bit concerning.”

Delaware has recorded 92,609 total positive cases of COVID-19 since the first one was reported on March 11, 2020. That total includes an additional 180 new positive cases reported by the DPH in Tuesday’s daily update.

Four new COVID-19-related deaths were announced by the DPH on Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 1,535. One was a resident of a long-term care center, increasing the total number of COVID-19-related deaths in long-term care facilities to 726 (47%).

Two of the four individuals were from Kent County while one was from New Castle County and the other Sussex County. The four new deaths ranged in age from 64 to 81 years old.

An additional 414 people tested negative for COVID-19, bringing that total to 559,524.

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