Number of COVID cases in Nebraska up for ninth straight week

COVID-19 instances are sharply up in Nebraska and are ticking up in Douglas County.

Nebraska reported 3,240 new virus instances for the week ending Friday. That is up from 2,354 the earlier week and almost double the 1,671 the week earlier than that, in accordance with a World-Herald evaluation of knowledge from the federal Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.

Douglas County reported 847 instances for the week ending Saturday, which was up from the 796 instances reported per week earlier.

Nebraska nonetheless ranks beneath common nationally in case charges, although it now stands thirty second after a months-long stretch of rating among the many lowest of the states. Instances in Nebraska additionally stay only a fraction of the degrees seen earlier this 12 months through the surge attributable to the omicron variant.

Nonetheless, Nebraska added extra new instances final week than at any time since January, and its per-capita case charge is at its highest degree since early February. Final week marked Nebraska’s ninth consecutive week of rising instances.

Nebraska is a part of a string of neighboring states the place instances final week have been rising quick, with Missouri (1st), Colorado (third), Wyoming (4th), South Dakota (sixth), Kansas (seventh) and Nebraska (ninth) all rating within the high 10 in share case progress.

Nebraska’s two-week case progress of 94% ranks third nationally after Wyoming and Colorado.

Dr. James Lawler, an govt director with the College of Nebraska Medical Middle’s World Middle for Well being Safety, mentioned even the rise in instances “definitely is just not a mirrored image of the true variety of instances.”

Many individuals contaminated with COVID don’t get examined for it, and plenty of of those that do take a look at are utilizing at-home antigen assessments that are not routinely reported or included in official counts.

“We’re form of flying blind once more,” Lawler mentioned.

Lawler mentioned some consultants estimate that the true case depend could also be 10 instances the variety of formally reported instances — presumably extra.

Iowa hasn’t joined within the surge. It’s amongst 26 states the place case numbers have fallen up to now two weeks. Its present per-capita case charge is 25% beneath Nebraska’s and ranks forty sixth among the many states.

COVID hospitalizations in Nebraska additionally climbed final week. The 131 individuals hospitalized with the virus on Friday was up from 94 two weeks earlier. Hospitalizations are inclined to lag infections by a number of weeks. 

Lawler mentioned he thinks the state will see a repeat of what it noticed final 12 months. “We’ll have a surge in the summertime that may speed up for us within the fall,” he mentioned.

Whereas the subvariant BA.2.12.1 now’s driving will increase within the U.S., the newer and extra transmissible BA.4 nd BA.5 are driving the newest wave in the UK. These variants even have begun to extend within the U.S.

Preliminary information from the Nebraska Division of Well being and Human Providers for the week ending June 4 signifies these variants have gained a little bit of floor in Nebraska, though the dominant variant nonetheless is BA.2. 

If the 2 newer variant proceed to extend in Nebraska, the state will see a rise in July and August, simply in time for college to renew, Lawler mentioned.

Irrespective of whether or not one other new variant comes alongside within the fall, he mentioned, immunity in most individuals might be down, given most individuals might be a 12 months or extra out from their final vaccination.

One saving grace, Lawler mentioned, could also be that younger kids possible might be eligible for the vaccine. Federal well being companies are anticipated to approve vaccines for teenagers below 5 subsequent week. Kids ages 5 to 12 are also eligible for a booster dose. Getting extra children vaccinated will gradual transmission.

Nonetheless, the tempo of vaccination in children 12 and below has been gradual, Lawler mentioned. Getting children vaccinated and boosted, implementing testing applications in faculties and masking in school rooms all might be vital.

Nebraska added 29 COVID deaths final week, bringing its variety of complete confirmed or possible deaths from COVID-19 to 4,323. Greater than 491,000 optimistic assessments have been reported.