OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are much higher than they were one year ago in the Omaha metro area.
According to the Douglas County Health Department (DCHD), last year at this time area hospitals reported 39 new cases and 26 people in the hospital with the virus. One-hundred-and-twenty patients were hospitalized in metro area counties as of Wednesday and DCHD reported 320 new positive COVID-19 tests since Tuesday’s report.
The positive case count DOES NOT include at-home tests because, say officials, those tests can't be confirmed. The county health department does review self-reported COVID test results and still encourages residents to report positive at-home tests.
The health department received two new COVID-19-related death certificates since Tuesday. Two women over 85 years of age died. One was vaccinated and the other was unvaccinated. The number of COVID-19-related deaths in Douglas County during the pandemic now is 1,136. The number of positive cases since March of 2020 now totals 158,709.
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 Mondays and Thursdays. 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 by DCHD Wednesday:
- There were 120 individuals hospitalized due to COVID-19 including seven pediatric cases.
- Sixteen adults were receiving ICU-level care.
- Two people who were confirmed or suspected of having COVID-19 were on a ventilator.
- Medical and surgical beds were occupied at an 82% occupancy rate with 244 staffed beds available.
- Adult ICU beds were occupied at a 79% rate with 62 staffed beds available.
- Pediatric ICU beds were at 88% of capacity with 16 beds available.
- There were no additional COVID-19 persons of interest waiting for test results.
Upcoming COVID-19 vaccination clinics:
- Friday, Health Department, 1111 S. 41st St. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. All vaccines – all ages.
- Saturday, Girls Inc. 2811 N. 45th St. Noon-3 p.m. All ages Pfizer/Moderna.
- Tuesday, Health Department, 1111 S. 41st St. Noon–6:30 p.m. All vaccines – all ages.
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