OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On Tuesday, the Douglas County Health Department reported 412 new positive COVID-19 tests had been received since midnight the previous day. During the same period, the DCHD confirmed three new COVID-19-related death certificates. The deceased were an unvaccinated man and a vaccinated woman in their 60s, as well as a vaccinated man in his 80s. The number of COVID-19-related deaths in Douglas County during the pandemic now is 1,027.
Resource Specialist Phil Rooney of the Douglas County Health Department said that the lower case counts are due in part to the omicron surge fading, and that individuals can opt to report positive, at-home tests to the health department. It is not mandatory to report positive at-home tests, so positive test counts reported to the DCHD may not be all-encompassing. However, Rooney said the health department also looks at school attendance and workplace absenteeism in order to gauge the situation, and that DCHD appreciates those who opt to report positive at-home COVID test results.
Follow this link to report a positive at-home COVID test to Douglas County.
The Omaha Metropolitan Healthcare Coalition — which encompasses Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders, Dodge, and Washington counties in Nebraska, plus hospitals in Council Bluffs and Missouri Valley, Iowa — releases updated COVID-19 case counts and a hospital occupancy report to the Douglas County Health Department on a near-daily basis. The overall numbers include both COVID-19 patients and hospitalized patients for all other illnesses and injuries unless otherwise noted.
According to the most recent local hospital update received late Monday:
- Medical and surgical beds are at 83% occupancy with 238 staffed beds available.
- Adult ICU beds are occupied at an 80% rate with 60 staffed beds available.
- Fifty-seven adults are receiving ICU-level care.
- Pediatric ICU beds are at 89% capacity with 15 beds available.
- There are 342 individuals hospitalized due to COVID-19,
- This includes 328 adults and 14 pediatric cases.
- There were eleven additional COVID-19 persons of interest (generally waiting for test results), all are potential adult cases.
- Thirty-three individuals who were confirmed or suspected of having COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Vaccine clinics Wednesday:
- Clair Memorial United Methodist Church, 5544 Ames Ave., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Pfizer 5-plus and Moderna.
- Burke High School, 12200 Burke St.,4-7 p.m. Pfizer 5-plus.
- Bennington High School, 16610 Bennington Rd., Bennington. 4-7 p.m. Pfizer 5-plus.
- The total number of positive cases since March of 2020 is now 140,179.
Download our apps today for all of our latest coverage.
Get the latest news and weather delivered straight to your inbox.