A novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold.
A diagnosis with coronavirus 229E, NL63, OC43, or HKU1 is not the same as a COVID-19 diagnosis. Patients with COVID-19 will be evaluated and cared for differently than patients with common coronavirus diagnosis.
To date, Delaware:
- Has activated the Division of Public Health’s State Health Operations Center to allow for enhanced response coordination;
- Maintains communication and outreach with federal, state and local partners;
- Is monitoring asymptomatic (not sick) individuals returning from Mainland China to ensure they do not develop symptoms;
- Provides symptom monitoring guidance for residents returning to Delaware from China, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Iran;
- Participates in frequent calls with health care systems, EMS and first responder agencies and other state agency partners;
- Provides information to health care professionals, businesses and educational settings;
- and Has reviewed and adapted current pandemic flu plans for COVID-19.
The Delaware Division of Public Health has a strong relationship with hospitals, EMS, and first responder agencies through its partnership with the state’s Department of Safety and Homeland Security (DSHS). Staff have been holding regular calls with hospitals, the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA), DSHS and EMS agencies.
The DPH recommends everyday measures that people can take to prevent the spread of all infections, which would also slow the spread of coronavirus disease:
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hand. If you use a tissue, dispose of it right away.
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, including the backs of your hands and under your nails.
- Clean surfaces at home, work or school that you use often.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- If you are healthy, the CDC does not recommend buying or using face masks. If you are infected, however, a mask can help prevent the spread of a virus.
Information from the Delaware Health and Social Services and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
For more specific information and updates related to local communities, click here.
Delawareans who experience these symptoms and have reason to believe they may have been exposed to novel coronavirus COVID-19 should contact the dedicated Delaware corona virus call center at 1.866.408.1899 or the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at 1.888.295.5156.
The clinical spectrum of COVID-19 ranges from mild disease with non-specific signs and symptoms of acute respiratory illness, to severe pneumonia with respiratory failure and septic shock. There have also been reports of asymptomatic infection with COVID-19.