DOVER — Forty-six Delawareans died from COVID-19 Monday through Thursday this week, the most in any four-day stretch so far, after the Division of Public Health announced 11 new deaths Friday.

As of 6 p.m. Thursday, 271 Delawareans had died from the virus. There had been 7,373 total cases, an increase of 150 from the prior day.

According to DPH, 269 people are hospitalized, while 3,210 Delawareans have recovered, meaning they’ve gone a week without symptoms.

Delaware’s first official coronavirus case was announced March 11. There were 6,315 cases and 213 deaths one week ago.

As of April 16, four weeks before the latest data, there were 2,202 cases and 52 deaths.

The uptick in deaths comes as the state takes steps toward reopening, with an eye on June 1 for the official start of the first phase of the process. Beaches are scheduled to open May 22, and retail businesses were allowed to open last week in limited fashion.

About .77 percent of Delawareans, or 77 people for every 10,000 residents, have tested positive for the virus.

More than 48 percent of the cases have involved residents of Sussex County, even though the southernmost county has just 24 percent of the state’s population.

In all, Sussex has seen 3,565 total cases. There have been 2,619 cases involving New Castle County and 1,146 involving Kent County. The addresses for 43 people with the virus have not yet been identified.

Of the deceased, 114 lived in New Castle, 108 lived in Sussex, 48 lived in Kent and one’s residence is currently unknown.

The outbreak has been particularly severe in the greater Georgetown area, with 5.2 percent of people in the 19947 ZIP code testing positive.