Seven more deaths due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported in the county since Monday, according to the Delaware Public Health District.

Six of those deaths were reported Wednesday, along with another in Friday’s statistics, bringing the total death toll due to the global pandemic in Delaware County to 37.

“Delaware County remains red with high incidence this week,” the health district said, referring to the state’s risk level. At the red level, “very high exposure and spread,” residents are advised to limit activities, social distance, wear face masks, stay home if possible, consider only necessary travel, limit attending gatherings of any number, and decrease in-person interactions.

There are 6,045 total cases of COVID-19 in Delaware County as of Friday afternoon, up more than 500 since Monday. The total cases consist of 5,221 confirmed cases (lab-tested positive results) and 824 probable cases (exhibiting symptoms that include chills, cough, fever, muscle pain, the new loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, and sore throat).

On a positive note, there are now 5,000 Delaware County residents who are considered recovered, that is, they were released from isolation. The number of active cases is currently 1,008, which is a substantial drop from Monday’s record total of 1,343.

A graphic issued by the DPHD explains the difference between the terms isolation versus quarantine.

“Isolation separates people who are infected with a communicable disease from people who are not infected. Isolated persons are asked to actively monitor their symptoms and separate themselves from other household members in a specific sick room. If possible, use a separate bathroom.”

On the other hand, “Quarantine keeps someone who might have been exposed to a communicable disease away from others,” the health district said. “Quarantine helps prevent spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick or if they are infected with the virus without feeling symptoms. People in quarantine should stay home, separate themselves from others and monitor their symptoms.”

The Ohio Department of Health’s coronavirus dashboard said its data was incomplete as of 2 p.m. Friday. However, Delaware County had 6,828 cases of coronavirus, up more than 500 since Monday. Of Ohio’s 88 counties, Delaware now has the 15th-most cases, exceeded by (in order) Franklin, Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Montgomery, Butler, Lucas, Summit, Stark, Warren, Mahoning, Lake, Lorain, Clermont and Trumbull. There were 134 hospitalizations and 43 deaths due to COVID-19 in Delaware County.

The DPHD states the discrepancies in totals between it and the ODH are because the portions of Columbus, Dublin, and Westerville that are in Delaware County are being handled by either Columbus Public Health or Franklin County Public Health.

Neighboring Franklin County has exceeded 58,000 cases, the most in the state. Cuyahoga County has more than 44,000 cases, but has the most hospitalizations with 3,482 and deaths with 780. Every county in the state is reporting more than 300 cases and at least two deaths due to the infectious disease. 

Statewide, the Ohio COVID-19 statewide totals are 456,963 as of Friday afternoon, up 35,000 since Monday. There have been 28,673 hospitalizations, up nearly 2,000 since Monday. There are 6,882 Ohioans dead from the coronavirus, up nearly 400 since Monday.

Fortunately, 306,950 Ohioans are presumed to have recovered, up more than 25,000 since Monday.

The Johns Hopkins University of Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center posted Friday afternoon there were 65.5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, up more than 2.5 million since Monday. Globally, there have been 1.5 million people who have died from the pandemic. The United States has the most confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the world at 14.2 million and has suffered the most deaths at 277,412, up more than 10,000 since Monday.

For more information on the pandemic, visit DelawareHealth.org/Covid-19, coronavirus.ohio.gov or cdc.gov/coronavirus, or www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019. The DGHD’s 24/7 emergency line is 740-815-6518, and the ODH call center is 1-833-4ASK-ODH.