OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On Friday, the Douglas County Health Department (DCHD) confirmed in its daily, emailed COVID report that 1,775 new positive COVID-19 tests were received since midnight the previous day.
The Nomi Health drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites were closed because of cold weather on Thursday. Despite the reduction in testing capacity in the metro area, the positive case count returned to some of the highest daily case counts on record after a slight dip in case counts on Wednesday and Thursday. Tuesday's report was the fourth-highest number of positive tests received in one day at 1,603, but that number is now replaced by Friday's 1,775.
In an email the county health department also noted that the seven-day rolling average of COVID-19 cases appears to be moving in a positive direction, "but today's new cases won't be helpful."
The Health Department confirmed three new COVID-19-related death certificates have been received since midnight the previous day. Two men between the ages of 45 and 65 died and a woman in her 40s died. The younger of the two men was the only one of these individuals who was vaccinated. The number of COVID-19-related deaths in Douglas County during the pandemic is now 975.
The Omaha Metropolitan Health Care 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 report for the metro area, received Thursday afternoon:
- Medical and surgical beds are at 87% occupancy with 185 staffed beds available.
- Adult ICU beds are occupied at a 94% rate with 18 staffed beds available.
- There are 430 individuals hospitalized who have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
- 109 are receiving adult ICU-level care.
- Forty-eight individuals who are confirmed or suspected of having COVID-19 are on ventilators.
- Nineteen pediatric patients are confirmed among those hospitalized.
- Pediatric ICU beds are at 80% capacity with 27 beds available.
- There are 21 additional COVID-19 persons of interest (generally waiting for test results) to report, with 16 potential adult cases and five potential pediatric cases.
The total number of positive cases reported since March of 2020 is 129,884.
In a press release, the health department said that 70% of Douglas County residents are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
“This is some more good news,” Health Director Dr. Lindsay Huse said. “While we need to increase this number, and are in no way satisfied, this is a significant step. I want to thank everyone who has made the choice to be vaccinated against COVID-19.”
A COVID-19 vaccine clinic is planned for Saturday at Girls Inc., 2811 N. 45th St. The clinic will serve the community from noon to 3 p.m. and all vaccines will be offered.
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