President Biden has COVID and so do rising number of Delawareans: Weekly cases top 200

While you probably heard that President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with COVID-19, did you know the number of cases in Delaware topped 200 last week and three people died from the virus in June?

So we're taking a look at the trend in COVID-19 numbers in the First State and the latest recommendations for vaccinations.

Number of weekly COVID cases on the rise

The week of July 7-13, cases totaled 207, the most since 268 March 3-9.

The number of cases has been rising for the past five weeks:

• 78, June 9-15
• 110, June 16-22
• 129, June 23-29
• 141, June 30 to July 6
• 207, July 7-13

This is the number of reported cases, but probably not the number of all cases, said Kelly Callahan, section chief for the Office of Communications at the Division of Public Health.

“We caution that many cases are not reported since at-home testing became readily available,” Callahan said. “While the numbers may be an undercount, the trends are still informative.”

While most cases are usually reported during the late fall and winter, the recent spike isn't unusual.

“We saw a small increase in cases last summer also,” Callahan said.

And the 207 cases are much lower than the peak weeks at the beginning of the year, with 1,058 cases the first week of January and 935 the second week of January.

More on recent virus cases: Biden has COVID-19 and he isn’t alone. Cases are rising across the U.S.

What's the age group with the most cases?

During the “fall and winter virus season 2023 and 2024,” according to the Delaware Division of Public Health, these age groups had the most cases:

• Ages 65 and older, 37.3% of all cases
• Ages 50-64, 17.2% of all cases

So more than half, 54.5%, of new cases were people ages 50 and older.

What's the latest recommendation for the vaccine?

The Delaware Division of Public Health recommends that everyone 6 months or older get the updated 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccine for the protection needed for the current variants of the virus to lower the risk of severe illness, hospitalization or death from the coronavirus.

For infants, children and teens, doses vary depending on age, prior vaccinations and the maker of the vaccine.

On Feb. 28, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that adults 65 and older get an updated 2023-2024 vaccine dose if it has been at least four months since their previous dose and at least three months since any COVID-19 infection.

For those who are immunocompromised, consult with a health care provider.

“An updated COVID-19 vaccine is expected this fall,” Callahan said, and updated recommendations will accompany that release.

Vaccinations are available from health care providers, pharmacies, state service centers and public health clinics. For information on where to get your vaccine, see the Division of Public Health webpage .

What are the symptoms of COVID?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common symptoms of COVID-19 are:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Loss of taste or smell
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

What should you do if you have symptoms?

If you have mild symptoms, stay home and away from other people if you have symptoms that aren't better explained by another cause, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you have other chronic health problems in addition to the new symptoms, seek health care promptly for testing and/or treatment.

Seek emergency help if you have the following warning signs: trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, discoloration of your skin, lips and fingernail beds – pale, gray or blue depending on your skin tone.

If someone is showing any of these signs, call 911 or an emergency facility and tell the operator you are bringing in someone who has or may have COVID-19.

Reach reporter Ben Mace at rmace@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: President Biden has COVID and so do rising number of Delawareans: Weekly cases top 200