COVID-19 Daily Briefing 3/19
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March 19, 5:45 p.m.
Additional Wilmington employees quarantine at home
Mayor Mike Purzycki announced 13 more city employees from Wilmington’s Municipal Complex are quarantined at home after coming into close contact with a Public Works employee who tested positive for COVID-19.
The 13 employees who are quarantined at home as of today are in addition to 11 employees who have been quarantined at home since earlier this week when their colleague tested positive for the virus.
All 25 of the employees work at the Municipal Complex.
March 19, 4:30 p.m.
Bayhealth announces temporary visitor restrictions
Effective 8 p.m. Bayhealth Hospital, Kent and Sussex Campuses will no longer accept visitors.
Exceptions will be made as needed for laboring patients, NICU patients, pediatric patients, patients receiving end-of-life care and those undergoing urgent procedures or surgeries.
Bayhealth Medical Group practices, Bayhealth Emergency Center in Smyrna, Bayhealth Cancer Centers, and Bayhealth Outpatient Centers will accept no visitors. Exceptions will be made if the patient requires assistance.
March 19, 1:45 p.m.
ChristianaCare further restricts visitor access
Effective at 3 p.m. Thursday, ChristianaCare set new restrictions on visitors for patients, including no visitors at the hospitals, outpatient services and cancer centers until further notice.
Exceptions will be made for patients in palliative care or hospice; laboring mothers; patients in the emergency department; NICU or pediatric patients. Only one visitor, who is not experiencing flu-like symptoms, will be allowed and will be screened upon entry.
No visitors under 16 years old are allowed. Visitors are asked not to congregate in the cafeteria or waiting areas.
March 19, noon
Delaware’s coronavirus cases reach 30
Thirty people have tested positive for coronavirus, the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) confirmed at noon Thursday.
Twenty-three of the patients are in New Castle County, while three are in Kent County and four are in Sussex County.
The DPH has not announced any of the patient information at this time. But yesterday afternoon, when the number was 26 cases, DPH said ages ranged from 18 to 80. Fourteen of those patients were men while 12 were women.
March 19, noon
Nanticoke Memorial Hospital group suspends inpatient visits
Peninsula Regional Health System announced it’s suspending all inpatient visits starting Friday, at both Nanticoke Memorial Hospital in Seaford and Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Maryland.
Exceptions will be considered for end of life, and two parents or caregivers of pediatric patients will be permitted, as long as visitors have no symptoms of coronavirus. One visitor will be allowed in the surgery waiting area per patient, and social distancing is encouraged.
All Peninsula Regional and Nanticoke offices, specialty practices and immediate care centers are open for patient appointments. No visitors will be allowed in waiting rooms.
March 18, 4 p.m.
Attorney General ask consumers to report price gouging
Attorney General Kathy Jennings is reminding consumers to stay vigilant about businesses illegally raising prices to take advantage of the public’s anxiety.
“We will not tolerate preying on people’s fear and uncertainty in a public health emergency,” Jennings said in a statement. “More than ever, we need to support one another. Exploiting a pandemic for profit is not just shameful and dangerous — it’s also illegal.”
Gov. John Carney’s March 12 state of emergency declaration explicitly prohibits price gouging, defined as a 10% or more increase in prices above normal levels, except when the increase is attributable to increased supplier costs.
Consumers should report suspected price gouging to the Delaware Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Unit through a formal complaint. Consumer complaint forms can be found at de.gov/consumer and should be submitted along with any supporting documentation to consumer.protection@delaware.gov. Consumers with additional questions can contact the DOJ’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-220-5424.
All of Delaware Business Times COVID-19 coverage can be found here.
