The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) will join health organizations and advocates around the globe to recognize World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on Sunday, March 24. This day commemorates Dr. Robert Koch’s groundbreaking discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is used to raise awareness and increase education about the threat of TB.

DPH’s Tuberculosis Elimination and Control Branch (TECB) extends its deepest appreciation to the health care community and TB clinics across Delaware for their unwavering dedication to combating TB in our state and collectively working to provide the best services available to our communities.

“TB is a preventable and curable disease, but it remains a major public health challenge,” said TECB Program Manager Tara Jenkins. “In 2022 alone, an estimated 1.3 million people worldwide died from TB, largely due to inadequate access to testing and treatment. It is important that we prioritize our efforts in detecting and fully treating TB cases, as well as implementing preventive measures such as good infection control practices when a case is identified and early treatment of asymptomatic TB infection to prevent progression to full TB disease.”

The Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology (OIDE) is ready to assist with information pertaining to TB infection (TBI) or TB disease. OIDE can facilitate access to DPH TB clinics, with one located in each county. These clinics offer comprehensive care for both TBI and TB disease, including screening, diagnosis and treatment services, often at minimal to no cost.

Identifying suspected and confirmed cases of TB disease swiftly is pivotal in stopping its spread. Additionally, connecting individuals with TBI, also referred to as latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), to appropriate treatment is paramount in preventing the progression of TB disease. Without intervention, approximately one in 10 individuals with latent TB infection will develop active TB disease in the future. DPH is committed to ensuring strong collaboration between healthcare providers and all public health authorities in the continued pursuit of eliminating TB.

“DPH remains committed to its ongoing efforts to combat TB,” said DPH Medical Director Dr. Awele Maduka-Ezeh. “Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those affected by TB and create a healthier and safer future for all.”

To learn more, visit https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/dpc/tbelimination.html.

On Tuesday, January 23, 2024, the Office of Animal Welfare (OAW) was recognized by the 152nd General Assembly, with House Concurrent Resolution 81 sponsored by Rep. Kimberly Williams, (D-19), and Sen. Jack Walsh, (D-9).

November 2023 marked 10 years since the OAW was established under the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH). The OAW is a state office dedicated to protecting the health, safety and welfare of companion animals, and promoting the human-animal bond.

“For 10 years now, the Office of Animal Welfare has worked to improve the quality of life for pets and people across our state and their efforts deserve recognition,” said Rep. Kim Williams. “Through their collaboration with local animal shelters, rescues, and the veterinary community, they have not only made Delaware a more humane and compassionate place, but have also played a pivotal role in making our state the first no-kill animal shelter state. As we celebrate their remarkable 10 years of service, let us also embrace the important message of ‘adopt, don’t shop’ when looking for a new four-legged friend.”

In 2012, a State Animal Welfare Taskforce of policymakers, veterinarians, shelter directors and others with expertise in animal welfare was assembled to analyze issues concerning companion animals and to make recommendations for improvement. The 147^th Delaware General Assembly established the OAW from the recommendations of this taskforce in late 2013, as it was clear there was a need for a state office dedicated to addressing these issues. Today, the public has one centralized office to manage and coordinate programs and services for pets, which greatly reduces the confusion for residents and fragmentation of services that existed previously.

“Over the last decade, the Office of Animal Welfare has played a vital role in promoting safer and healthier communities by carrying out their mission to protect the welfare of the dogs, cats and other furry companions that are a part of so many of our families,” said Sen. Jack Walsh, the Senate prime sponsor of HCR 81. “I am proud to recognize the OAW’s tireless dedication, and even prouder of the work that OAW and the General Assembly have done, and will continue to do, to protect the welfare of animals throughout Delaware.”

In recent years, the office has created many programs and resources to promote the safety and wellbeing of Delawareans and their companion animals. Among these accomplishments are:

• Launching a statewide Lost and Found Pet Registry.
• Implementing training and certification regulations for animal welfare officers that ensures preparedness and consistency statewide.
• Establishing Delaware Animal Services (DAS) which is the Office’s enforcement unit to safeguard pets and the public.
• Drafting enforcement provisions for the Shelter Standards Law.
• Implementing a comprehensive shelter oversight program which conducts regular inspections of Delaware’s animal shelters.
• Expansion of the State Spay & Neuter Program to reduce animal homelessness.

“Celebrating 10 years of the Office of Animal Welfare is a significant milestone that is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our staff and community partners, as well as the support of the public,” said OAW Director Christina Motoyoshi. “This tribute provides an opportunity to recognize those that worked to create the Office and reflect on the impact made as a result to reduce animal homelessness and suffering, elevate professionalism and make our community safer for people and pets. We look forward to continued progress and serving as a vital resource for Delawareans for years to come.”

For more information about OAW, visit https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/oaw/oawhome.html. To report animal cruelty or a dog control issue, call 302-255-4646.

WILMINGTON – The Parent Information Center of Delaware (PIC), in partnership with the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), announced the recipients of the Statewide Family SHADE Mini-Grant Program for 2023-2024.

The Family SHADE (Support Healthcare Alliance Delaware) mini-grant program aims to build state and local capacity and test small-scale innovative strategies to improve the overall systems of care for youth with special health care needs and their families. The Parent Information Center of Delaware manages the mini-grant program, made possible by DPH. The Division of Public Health’s Maternal and Child Health program works with organizations across the state to ensure all Delaware babies and children have the same opportunity to thrive.

“We are thrilled to continue this amazing opportunity to partner with our state in providing innovative strategies that support children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN),” said PIC Executive Director Meedra Surratte. “So often, the community organizations who have direct access and greatest impact in our communities do not have the resources, financial or otherwise, to respond to the needs of the communities they serve. This mini-grant process is one way we can support the organizations and communities facing the most significant barriers to accessing care and support. More importantly, the technical assistance provided to the grantees and learning communities allows for meaningful family engagement, capacity building and sustainability in programs serving CYSHCN.”

The 2023-2024 mini-grant recipients are:
The Children’s Beach House: Founded in 1936, Children’s Beach House has devoted itself to meeting the most pressing needs of Delaware children. Children’s Beach House envisions a world where all children reach their highest potential. The mission of Children’s Beach House is to improve the lives of children, youth, families and communities by helping them to identify, understand and utilize their own strengths, talents and resources.
Children’s Beach House is being awarded $25,000 to expand its Youth Development Program. The Youth Development Program gives young people opportunities to develop close and supportive relationships with peers and caring adult role models, so they feel safe, loved and at home in the world. The program offers year-round support and activities for children ages 7 to 18 who have a diagnosed speech, language, hearing or communicative delay or disability, have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and come from under-resourced homes.

Down Syndrome Association of Delaware: Founded in 1979, the Down Syndrome Association of Delaware is a statewide non-profit support group. The mission of the Down Syndrome Association of Delaware is to serve as a resource promoting public awareness, education and advocacy supporting individuals with Down syndrome and their families.
The Down Syndrome Association of Delaware is being awarded $25,000 to work alongside the families of over 150 youth within the state of Delaware who are under the age of 17 and have Down syndrome. Families will be referred to the Down Syndrome Program at Nemours, which helps families of children with Down syndrome create medical homes by connecting them with specialists and professionals who work collaboratively with parents and caregivers. The Down Syndrome Program at Nemours has been in existence since 2017 and is one of only a handful of programs of its kind in the country.

Teach Zen Incorporated: Founded in 2016, Teach Zen Inc. is a community partner focused on supporting the early childhood industry with social-emotional learning. The mission of Teach Zen Inc. is to provide young children and early childhood educators with the self-care tools needed to manage BIG emotions in order to create safe and nurturing classroom environments that enhance the capacity for learning.
Teach Zen Inc. is being awarded $25,000 to provide early childhood educators and children of low-income families between the ages of 3 and 5 enrolled in early childhood education programs with Social Emotional Learning and self-regulation techniques to improve their overall emotional well-being.

The three organizations were selected by a diverse team of community reviewers to receive the funding. Each recipient was required to address one of the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) National Performance Measures (NPMs) for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs in their mini-grant applications.

The National Performance Measures are:
• Performance Measure 6 (Developmental Screening): Percent of children, ages 9 through 35 months, who received developmentally appropriate services in a well-coordinated early childhood system.
• Performance Measure 11 (Access to Medical Home): Percent of children with and without special health care needs, ages 0 through 17, who have a medical home.
• Performance Measure 12 (Transition to Adult Healthcare): Percent of adolescents with and without special health care needs, ages 12 through 17, who received services to prepare for the transition to adult health care.
• Performance Measure 15 (Adequate Insurance): Percent of children, ages 0 through 17, who are continuously and adequately insured.

Mini-grant recipients are required to submit monthly reporting, attend technical assistance workshops and to participate in the Family SHADE monthly Learning Communities.

DOVER, DE (Jan. 30, 2023) –   The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) has been notified of multiple positive cases of COVID-19 that could be related to several in-person events last week in and around Legislative Hall. Out of an abundance of caution, DPH is offering recommendations to those planning to attend Joint Finance Committee hearings beginning Tuesday Jan. 31, to reduce any potential risk of spread of the virus. 

“We want the public to know about the potential risk so that they can evaluate their own situation and make informed choices about how to participate in the legislative process,” said DPH Interim Director Dr. Rick Hong. “Having this information is particularly important for older Delawareans and those with weakened immune systems or chronic conditions so they can decide how they best want to protect themselves.”

DPH recommends that individuals visiting Legislative Hall this week consider wearing a high-quality mask to reduce the chance of COVID-19 transmission, and keep a six-foot social distance when possible from people outside of your household.

Alternately, individuals can attend and participate online via registering through the committee meeting page on the Joint Finance Committee’s homepage. (link: Joint Finance Committee – Delaware General Assembly).

Regardless of vaccination status, you should stay home to isolate from others when you have COVID-19 for at least five days, followed by another five days of mask wearing when out in public.

You should also isolate if you have symptoms and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results. If your results are negative, it is recommended you take two tests 48 hours apart. It’s possible that you have COVID-19 but that it did not show up when you tested initially. If both tests come back negative, you can stop isolating. 

If you find out you were in contact with someone who has COVID-19, begin wearing a high-quality mask or respirator (e.g., N95) any time you are around others either inside your home, or indoors in public. Wear a mask for 10 full days and do not go anywhere where you are unable to wear a mask. If you do not have symptoms, or do not develop symptoms, there is no need for you to stay home (quarantine). If symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other COVID-19 symptoms occur, isolate at home immediately, get tested, and stay home until you know the result.

For more information on COVID-19 testing visit de.gov/gettested. For more information about isolation and exposure recommendations visit https://coronavirus.delaware.gov/quarantine-isolation/. Finally for more information about masking visit https://coronavirus.delaware.gov/guidance-for-face-coverings/.

If you are over age 50, particularly if you have a chronic health condition, or are unvaccinated, you should talk to your health care provider about COVID-19 treatment options. You can learn more at de.gov/covidtreatments.

Resources:     

Individuals with general questions about COVID-19 should call Delaware 2-1-1, individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can text their ZIP code to 898-211, or email delaware211@uwde.org. Hours of operation are:      

• Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.      

• Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.    

For the latest on Delaware’s response, go to de.gov/coronavirus.     

    

###   

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), a division of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, is a nationally accredited public health agency recognized by the Public Health Accreditation Board for its outstanding dedication to driving change through innovation. DPH is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. 

Anyone who is deaf, hard of hearing, Deaf-Blind, or speech-disabled can contact DPH by first dialing 711 using specialized devices (i.e., TTY, TeleBraille, voice devices). The 711 service is free; to learn more about how it works, visit delawarerelay.com. 

DOVER, DE (Jan. 13, 2023) – The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is seeing an increase in post-holiday COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, though the increase is not nearly as high as the 2022 post-holiday surge. Still, DPH encourages individuals to take specific action steps to stay healthy and prevent the spread of the virus, such as staying home when sick, testing when symptoms appear or when exposed to someone with COVID-19, staying up to date with vaccinations and boosters, and considering wearing a mask in crowded spaces.

This time last year, Delaware reported the highest number of new positive daily cases since the start of the pandemic at 3,666 reported on Jan. 6, 2022, and 759 hospitalizations on Jan. 12, 2022. As of the latest data posted to the My Healthy Community dashboard Wednesday, there were 266 new cases on Jan. 6, 2023, and 202 hospitalizations for Jan. 10, 2023. While the reduced number of cases reported does not take into account the large number of likely positive results from at-home testing, which are not reported to DPH, the fact that hospitalizations remain so much lower is a good indicator that there is not as much serious illness being caused by COVID-19 infection. Even with new emerging variants, the tools available to successfully fight COVID-19 have become increasingly effective.   

Viruses constantly mutate and evolve, and sometimes these mutations result in new variants of the virus. The updated bivalent booster provides the best level of protection against serious illness and hospitalization as it strengthens the antibody response against two strains of COVID-19:  the original strain of the virus and the Omicron variants. Health experts say if has been eight (8) months or more since your last vaccine, your protection is limited.  If you are 5+ and it has been at least two months or more since you completed your primary series, haven’t had a recent infection since July, or haven’t been boosted since August, you are eligible for an updated booster. Learn more about where to get a booster at de.gov/boosters.   

Treatment also remains one of the most effective tools for preventing severe outcomes from COVID-19. If an individual tests positive, especially if they are more likely to get very sick from the virus due to a health condition, treatments are available that reduce the risk of being hospitalized or dying from the disease. Those who test positive should contact a healthcare provider right away to determine if treatment is appropriate. Most treatments must be started within five days of when symptoms first appear, and the sooner treatment is started, the sooner it begins working to fight the virus.   

Individuals should ask about treatment if they test positive for COVID-19 and are either: 

• 50 years or older (especially over 65, as risk increases with age) 
• Unvaccinated 
• Listed as having certain medical conditions – such as chronic lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, a weakened immune system, and more. 

More information, including test-to-treat sites and locations where treatment is available with a prescription, can be found at https://coronavirus.delaware.gov/covid-19-treatment-options/. 

In comparison to COVID-19 data released on Dec. 15, Delaware has seen an increase in the 7-day daily average of new positive cases, hospitalizations and critical hospitalizations.

COVID-19 Cases and Hospitalizations:    

• Total positive cases since March 11, 2020: 324,137*   
• 7-day daily average of new positive cases: 221.3, an increase of 62.2 average new positive cases reported since Dec. 15, 2022     
• 7-day daily average for the percentage of total positive tests: 15.5 percentage points, an increase of 6.1 percentage points reported since Dec. 15, 2022     
• Hospitalizations: 202 current hospitalizations, 24 critical hospitalizations  
• Total COVID-19 deaths: 3,220 – increase of 35 from last month including 29 from vital statistic review between Oct – Dec.
  *Case and testing data are based on reporting of lab-confirmed COVID-19 tests only. The number of COVID-19 cases in the community is higher than what is reported because of the use of at-home test kits.    

COVID-19 Vaccinations:

• Total number of doses administered in Delaware: 2,099,714  
• Percentage of Delawareans 5+ who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 77.2%     
• Percentage of Delawareans 12+ who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 81.3%     
• Percentage of Delawareans 18+ who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 82.9%     
• Percent of Delawareans who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 73.1%     

COVID-19 Case Vaccination Status Report:    

The following reports capture a weekly breakdown of non-boosted cases, deaths and hospitalizations for the time frame of Jan. 2, 2023 – Jan. 8, 2023.    

1. Not up-to-date: Case – Hospital – Death  

Note:   

Case and Hospitalization Count: based on RTS (Report to State Date) Death: based on DoD (Date of Death) Not up-to-date: all cases that are not completed a COVID-19 vaccine primary series and/or have not received the most recent booster dose recommended by CDC. (CDC’s guidance updated Dec 9^th, 2022)
DE resident only*   

Long-term Care Statistics:     

As of Thursday, Jan. 10, 2023, there have been a total of 5,278 positive COVID-19 cases involving long-term care residents, and 1,016 residents of Delaware long-term care facilities have died from complications related to COVID-19.    

Resources:     

Individuals with general questions about COVID-19 should call Delaware 2-1-1, individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can text their ZIP code to 898-211, or email delaware211@uwde.org. Hours of operation are:     

• Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.     
• Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.     

Medically related questions regarding testing, symptoms, and health-related guidance can be submitted by email at DPHCall@delaware.gov.    

DPH will continue to update the public as more information becomes available. For the latest on Delaware’s response, go to de.gov/coronavirus.    

###  

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), a division of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, is a nationally accredited public health agency recognized by the Public Health Accreditation Board for its outstanding dedication to driving change through innovation. DPH is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.

Anyone who is deaf, hard of hearing, Deaf-Blind, or speech-disabled can contact DPH by first dialing 711 using specialized devices (i.e., TTY, TeleBraille, voice devices). The 711 service is free; to learn more about how it works, visit delawarerelay.com.