Three Rivers Public Health Department (3RPHD) released updates Wednesday afternoon regarding COVID-19 within the health department’s jurisdiction. 3RPHD is seeing spikes in the positivity rate, newly confirmed cases, and hospitalizations.
Executive Director at 3RPHD, Terra Uhing, reported that there were 162 new cases of COVID-19 in the past week, and the jurisdiction is now averaging a 16.77% weekly positivity rate. The highest positivity rate reported in the Three Rivers jurisdiction since the week of May 24, 2020.
The 3RPHD Risk Dial has been updated for the week. The Three Rivers jurisdiction rose from 1.63 to a 1.88 rating (yellow, moderate risk level) due to an increase in the overall positivity rate, an increase in regional hospitalizations, and a decrease in testing.
Saunders and Washington Counties saw an increase in their respective risk dials, both rising from 1.75 to 1.88 (yellow, moderate risk level). Both risk dials increased due to an increase in the overall positivity rate and weekly positivity rate, as well as an increase in regional hospitalizations.
Dodge County’s risk dial did not decrease or increase this week, holding steady at a 1.75 rating (yellow, moderate risk level). This is due to a decrease in new cases, but the overall positivity rate did rise.
So far, October 2020 has seen 552 new cases of COVID-19, rising above all other prior months except September 2020 which saw 674 new cases of COVID-19. October 2020 is averaging 27.6 new cases of COVID-19 daily.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the Omaha Metropolitan Health Care Coalition (OMHCC) which consists of Dodge, Saunders, Washington, Douglas, and Sarpy county hospitals reported 183 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19 and there are currently 182 medical beds available. This is the highest amount of hospitalizations ever reported in the area since the pandemic began.
“This is a reminder to stay home if you are sick, stay home if you are being tested for COVID-19, and wear a face-covering when you are outside your home,” said Terra Uhing, Executive Director of Three Rivers Public Health Department.
There is testing available through Test Nebraska all over the state of Nebraska. Visit https://www.testnebraska.com/en to get scheduled for a COVID-19 test. There is no cost for this test through Test Nebraska.
3RPHD updates the community risk dials each Wednesday, and the 3RPHD Data Dashboard is updated each weekday. Please visit our website to learn more.
For questions or more information about COVID-19, please call Three Rivers at 402-727-5396, email info@3rphd.org or visit www.threeriverspublichealth.org
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