Current Suspected Overdose Deaths in Delaware for 2024: Get Help Now!

Find school water testing results and additional resources

Attention Medicaid Participants: Eligibility Renewals Restarted April 1, 2023

Delaware.gov logo

DHSS Press Release



Dr. Kara Odom Walker, Secretary
Jill Fredel, Director of Communications
302-255-9047, Cell 302-357-7498
Email: jill.fredel@delaware.gov

DPH Media Contact:
Jennifer Brestel
302-744-4907, Cell 302-612-6223
Email: Jennifer.brestel@delaware.gov

Date: March 5, 2020
DHSS-3-2020





DPH ANNOUNCES NEGATIVE TEST RESULT FOR CORONAVIRUS; JOINT INFORMATION CENTER ESTABLISHED FOR MEDIA


DOVER (March 5, 2020) - The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is announcing that the latest pending test result for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has come back negative. The individual is a Sussex County resident. DPH will not be providing any additional information about the individual. Nine Delawareans have been tested for COVID-19 to date, and all results have been negative. There are no other Patients Under Investigation (PUIs) in Delaware at this time.

Delaware has established a Joint Information Center to better respond to media inquiries. Reporters should call (302) 223-1085 or email DPHMedia@delaware.gov for the fastest response. The JIC will be staffed from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. After-hour inquiries should be directed to Andrea Wojcik at andrea.wojcik@delaware.gov or 302-242-0287. The JIC is for media inquiries only. The general public should be directed to contact the Coronavirus Call Center at 1-866-408-1899 or DPHCall@delaware.gov.

In addition, DPH continues to monitor 16 travelers arriving in the U.S. from countries with a Level 2 or higher Travel Alert (China, Italy, Japan, Iran or South Korea). The CDC recommended that such travelers be monitored for 14 days after their return. During the 14 days after their return, these persons are asked to remain at home while self-monitoring for symptoms. If any of these persons shows symptoms of fever, cough and/or shortness of breath, the person should call DPH at 1-866-408-1899 immediately to determine next steps, which may include transport to a local hospital for evaluation and testing. DPH began reporting the number of returning travelers being monitored, as well as PUIs, on its website https://dhss.delaware.gov/dph on Feb. 10. Numbers are updated regularly.

While the number of cases are increasing in the U.S., there is no spread of the virus in the community in Delaware. DPH will continue to update the public as more information becomes available. For more information on COVID-19, visit de.gov/coronavirus.


A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person's spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com

DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.



Delaware Health and Social Services 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.





+