Active Public Health Outbreaks in Delaware: 2024-2025 Report

Respiratory Surveillance (Week 46, Nov 2025)

Influenza (Flu) Activity: Low but Increasing
26 New Cases (Week 46)
COVID-19 Activity: Low
Very Low Wastewater Levels
RSV Activity: Very Low
Stable Wastewater Levels

Source: Delaware My Healthy Community Dashboard, Nov 2025.

Active Outbreak: Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Delaware is currently managing a significant resurgence of Pertussis, aligning with a national spike in cases.

  • Location: Cluster identified in western Kent County (specifically affecting the Amish community) and rising cases in New Castle County.
  • Impact: 48 confirmed cases linked to 16 families in the initial Kent County cluster.
  • National Context: The U.S. has recorded over 20,000 cases in 2025, a 5-fold increase from 2023.
Advisory: DPH urges vaccination (DTaP/Tdap) and immediate medical attention for persistent coughs, especially in infants.

Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

Salmonella (Cucumbers)

Delaware was listed as one of the affected states in a multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to fresh cucumbers.

  • Source: Whole cucumbers from Bedner Growers Inc.
  • Timeline: Peak cases May–June 2025.
  • Status: Recall issued; consumers advised to check produce sources.

Other Alerts

While national outbreaks involving Listeria (meat/poultry) and E. coli (carrots) occurred in late 2024/2025, Delaware specific case counts for these events were not explicitly highlighted in primary state reports compared to the cucumber incident.

Contrast: Measles Status

Despite a national surge with over 1,000 measles cases reported across the U.S. in 2025, Delaware has reported 0 confirmed cases as of the most recent state update in March 2025. This stands in sharp contrast to outbreaks in neighboring regions and highlights the effectiveness of local vaccination coverage to date.