By Tim Mastro

DOVER — Delaware’s daily average of new positive COVID-19 cases is continuing its steady decline, reaching numbers not seen since the first few days of the pandemic.

The seven-day rolling average for new cases is down to 26.7 cases per day — the lowest since it was at 24.1 cases March 27, 2020, when testing was not yet widely available. The Delaware Division of Public Health reported 26 new positives in Wednesday’s update, bringing the state’s total to 109,599.

COVID-19 hospitalizations increased by three compared to the day prior, up to 18. That number is still the second-fewest since the state began reporting hospitalizations last April.

Sussex County has the most individuals hospitalized with nine, while New Castle County, the state’s most populous, has eight hospitalizations. There is only one COVID-19 hospitalization in Kent County after three days with zero.

Of the 18 total hospitalizations, six cases are considered critical.

DPH reported two new COVID-19-related deaths Wednesday, which increased the state’s total to 1,693. One of the two was a resident of a long-term care facility — the 759th COVID-19-related death from a long-term care center (45%).

Both of the newly announced deaths were from Sussex County, and they ranged in age from 65 to 80. New Castle County has recorded the most COVID-19-related deaths with 845, followed by Sussex County’s 499 and Kent County’s 349.

A total of 473,928 individuals have been fully vaccinated in Delaware. This includes nonresidents who are eligible to be vaccinated in the state because they either work in Delaware or receive health care here. For just Delawareans, 429,382 have been fully vaccinated in the state.

An additional 79,380 individuals, including 69,895 Delawareans, are partially vaccinated and awaiting their second dose of a two-dose vaccine series.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine tracker is reporting that 69.1% of Delaware adults have received at least one dose of a vaccine. This number differs from DPH’s tracker because the CDC includes Delawareans vaccinated in other states, as well as in locations like Veterans Affairs facilities and Dover Air Force Base — entities that do not report their numbers to DPH.