Delaware County Leads Region in COVID-19 Cases, Delaying Reopening Plans

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Delaware County residents gathered May 9 to ask the state to reopen some non-essential businesses. Image via Heather Khalifa, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Delaware County’s high number of COVID-19 cases is keeping the state’s southeast region from reopening, writes Vinny Vella and Marie McCullough for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Many counties have moved to a less restrictive yellow phase as new cases of COVID-19 drop.

Delaware County ‘s high numbers have been steady for a month while surrounding Montgomery, Chester, Philadelphia and Bucks counties have dropped.

As of Monday, May 18, Delaware County had 263 cases for every 100,000 residents over the last 14 days.  It needs to get to no more than 50 cases.

Why the high numbers? Delaware County has a heavy concentration of elderly residents.

Yeadon is home to three long-term care facilities. Media has the Sterling Rehabilitation & Nursing Center.

“Media is a small place — the borough is only ¾ of a square mile,” said Brian Hall, president of Media Borough Council. “I think that the fact of having a nursing home in the borough tends to skew the numbers.”

Delaware County has the second highest population density in the state and is home to poor and minority populations where health care is limited and where residents risk infection by having to work essential jobs.

Read more about Delaware County’s high COVID-19 numbers here.


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