DPHD reporting improvement in COVID numbers

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On Wednesday, the Delaware Public Health District (DPHD) reported three out of five failed critical factors on its weekly COVID-19 report card, the same as last week.

“This week, we’re again reporting 3 failed factors,” DPHD posted on Facebook. “This week’s positivity rate saw a slight increase, but there was improvement in the other remaining factors!”

The failed factors are new cases of COVID-19 (also known as SARS-CoV-2 or Coronavirus Disease 19), new cases in the schools, and the positivity rate.

This week’s critical factors are 689 new cases per 100,000 persons in the past seven days (it was 1,066 last week); and 828 new cases per 100,000 staff and students in the past seven days (it was 934 last week). The county’s population was last estimated at 209,177. Both of those totals are well over the 50 or less needed for a satisfactory grade.

The positivity rate is 20%, up from last week’s 16.4% and above the 8% or less satisfactory mark.

The local health care system capacity, or the percent of intensive care unit patients with COVID-19, has fallen to 14%, which is considered satisfactory. Last week it was at 20%.

The other passing factor, which Delaware County has been a statewide leader in, is the COVID-19 vaccination coverage. A total of 73.7% of county residents have had their full vaccination series completed, according to the web page covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website said the transmission level of the coronavirus remains high in Delaware County. “Everyone in Delaware County, Ohio should wear a mask in public, indoor settings,” the CDC said on Feb. 2. “Mask requirements might vary from place to place. Make sure you follow local laws, rules, regulations or guidance.”

The critical factors included in the DPHD’s weekly COVID-19 report card were developed by the CDC to help local agencies provide community guidance. If two or more of those factors are positive, the DPHD has recommended residents wear masks in public, even those who are vaccinated and boosted.

The CDC measures changes over the past seven days in the county. On Feb. 2, it said there were eight new hospital admissions, but no deaths.

The CDC’s COVID Data Tracker said Wednesday there have been more than 75 million cases of the infectious disease in the United States, up from 71.8 million cases a week ago. However, cases are trending down over the last 30 days.

The CDC said 884,853 Americans have died from the COVID-19 pandemic. That is up from 866,968 deaths last week. This number continues to trend up over the last 30 days.

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By Gary Budzak

[email protected]

Gary Budzak may be reached at 740-413-0906 or on Twitter @GaryBudzak.

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