LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — State health officials say five more people in the state have died from COVID-19, bringing the state’s total deaths to 33 since the outbreak began.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) said in a news release that three of the deaths reported Monday were in hard-hit areas of south-central and eastern Nebraska. These deaths included:
- a woman in her 60s from Hamilton County
- a woman in her 80s and a man in his 60s, both from Hall County
- a man in his 40s and a man in his 70s, both from Douglas County
Dixon county also confirmed its first case yesterday. 52 of Nebraska’s 93 counties have at least one confirmed case.
Hospitals in Nebraska are still preparing for the possibility of a surge in cases. 78% of the state’s ventilator supply is available. 41% of Nebraska’s 4,629 hospital beds are available. Of those, 58% of the state’s ICU beds are currently available.
Recent studies show that a significant portion of people with COVID-19 lack symptoms for up to 14 days. Those who do develop symptoms can pass the virus to others before showing symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (grocery stores, pharmacies, etc.) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission
