The Wednesday Covid-19 summary from the Delaware Division of Public Health reported nine new deaths as the number of hospitalizations moved toward the 160 mark. In January, that number had swelled to more than 750.

As case numbers continued to decline, Gov. John Carney said he would no longer hold weekly briefings. At the same time, Republicans in the Delaware House urged the governor to end emergency mandates, citing the state’s vaccination rate and the sharp drop in new cases.

Earlier, Carney ended the state’s indoor mask mandate.

Public health officials say the virus has not gone away and have urged caution.

Of those who died, six were residents of Sussex County, with two from Kent and one from New Castle County. Ages ranged from the 60s to the 80s All had underlying health conditions and six were fully vaccinated.

Despite an increase in deaths among the vaccinated, about 60% of those who have died from the virus in recent weeks were unvaccinated. That percentage moves into the 80s when it comes to deaths from those who did not receive a booster dose.

The toll from Covid complications is now 2,654.

The other numbers

• 170 new positive cases, bringing the overall total to 254,083.

• 8.5% of total tests were positive in the seven-day rolling average, down three-tenths of a percent from the previous day.

.• 164 current hospitalizations, down 26 from the previous day, including 14 individuals in critical condition

.• 13 new hospital admissions, unchanged from the previous day.

• 4,071 tests performed daily in the 7-day average, down 84 from the previous day.

.• 651,892 people fully vaccinated, up 24 from the previous day, according to the CDC Vaccine Tracker.

• 1,709,601, total vaccine doses, not updated by CDC Vaccine Tracker.

For more data, including breakdowns by age, sex, race/ethnicity, at the statewide, county, and, in some cases, ZIP code or census tract, click here.