The COVID-19 pandemic was reported to have reached the U.S. state of Delaware on March 11, 2020, in New Castle County. The following day, March 12, Governor John Carney declared a State of Emergency for the State of Delaware due to a Public Health Threat. As of February 8, 2021, the Delaware Division of Public Health reported 80,594 cumulative COVID-19 cases and 1,208 deaths. , Delaware has administered 904,722 COVID-19 vaccine doses, equivalent to 52.9% of the population. 41.3% of the population is fully vaccinated.
Timeline
March 2020
March 4
On March 4, in preparation for the spread of COVID-19 in Delaware, the Delaware Division of Public Health opened a coronavirus call center at its State Health Operation Center in Smyrna to assist with questions that businesses, schools, and people may have about the disease.
March 11–13
On March 11, the Delaware Division of Public Health announced its first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in Delaware. The positive case involved a man over the age of 50 in New Castle County who was associated with the University of Delaware.
On March 12, Delaware Governor John Carney declared a state of emergency. This allowed for the Delaware National Guard to take precautionary actions and prepare for further response to the disease, for the state to conduct public meetings electronically, and prevented the price gouging of goods. Governor Carney also recommended that all non-essential public gatherings of more than 100 people be cancelled, following CDC guidelines. Three more positive cases of coronavirus were confirmed on March 12. The patients were two graduate students and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Delaware. Delaware State University President Dr. Tony Allen advised all students to not return to campus until at least April 5. He also announced that all classes from March 18 until April 5 would take place online.
On March 13, the Downtown Dover Partnership announced the cancellation of the St. Patrick's Day parade due to coronavirus concerns. Late on March 13, Governor Carney closed all Delaware Public Schools from March 16 to 27. In addition, the University of Delaware announced that all classes after spring break would be moved to an all-online format for the remainder of the semester. All University of Delaware residence halls were to be closed by March 22 at 10:00 pm.
March 14–16
On March 14, the Delaware Division of Public Health announced two more positive cases of coronavirus in the state. The two new patients were both self-quarantining in New Castle County: a woman older than 50 and a man older than 60. This increased the number of total positive cases in Delaware to 6.
Delaware announced their seventh case in the state on March 15; the case was associated with the University of Delaware.
The Delaware Division of Public Health announced on March 16 that a woman over 50 in New Castle County was confirmed to have coronavirus. The total number of positive cases increased to eight in Delaware with the addition of this case.
March 17–19
It was announced on March 17 that eight additional positive cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the state, including the first in Sussex County. Of the patients, four were men and four were women, though their ages were not revealed. This increased the total number of positive cases to 16 in Delaware.
On March 18, the DDHS announced ten more positive cases in the state of Delaware, including the first three in Kent County. All three of Delaware's counties had at least one coronavirus case by March 18. The addition of these cases increased the cumulative number of positive cases to 26 for the state.
Dover Air Force Base declared a public health emergency on March 18, allowing for tighter restrictions on the movement of people on the base, including personnel restrictions and access restrictions to the base's installation. In addition, the emergency allowed isolation and quarantine procedures for the base to go into effect.
On March 19, the number of cases was confirmed to have increased to thirty: 23 in New Castle, three in Sussex, and four in Kent Counties.
March 20–22
On March 20, the state reported 27 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Castle County, five in Kent County and seven in Sussex County, which brought the total to 39, with two people being in critical condition.
The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) had reported 30 COVID-19 cases in the state just the day before. DPH recommended testing for people with a fever and either a cough or shortness of breath.