OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On Friday, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert, Dr. Adi Pour and local health officials provided a COVID-19 update for the area.
During the event, Douglas County Health Director Dr. Adi Pour said the area has seen a steep increase in cases, citing a 56 percent increase of COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks.
"We are on a steep curve and what I’m really concerned about is this week we had four days where there were more than 600 cases reported to us," Dr. Pour said.
Although the usual clusters of people are getting COVID-19 at higher rates, people ages 19-60, she said the health department has started to see an increase among those ages 10-19 years old as well. About 70 percent of cases were among those ages 22-64 years of age she said.
She said if cases continue to rise at the same rate, Omaha will have more than 1,600 COVID patieints in hospitals by Christmas.
Dr. Harris Frankel, Chief Medical Officer of Nebraska Med, says their biggest concern is staffing because that limits their ability to expand and add to capacity. He said he worries about Omaha continuing on the trajectory the city is currently at.
"The trajectory of the rate of new cases and the subsequent hospitalizations continue to climb. At current rates it is conceivable that in 7 to 14 days we could be at capacity," Dr. Frankel said.
In regards to mask-wearing enforcement, Omaha Police Department (OPD) Deputy Chief Scott Gray said the department has responded to 455 compliance checks between those that were called in and those initiated by officers.
With the checks, Gray said no citations have been issued and said the goal of the department has been to educate and get a higher level of compliance, not to criminalize those who are not following the ordinance.
He said OPD's focus going forward will be on quick stop style convenience stores and bars.
"We’ve gotten information through Dr. Pour’s office and just anecdotally that many cases could either be occurring from those settings, bar settings, or in home gatherings and since it’s kind of difficult for us to do much about the in home gathering side of things we will focus on the provisions related to businesses," Gray said.
Stothert and Gray said most of the checks resulted in finding people that were following the ordinance. Those who weren’t were given a warning and copy of the ordinance and followed up on a few days later. Gray said after following up, they have found people are in compliance.
Watch below or on our Facebook page.
Second part of press conference:
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3 News Now reporters Courtney Johns and Alyssa Curtis provided live updates on Twitter:
Stothert says they do have some new restrictions to announce.
— Courtney Johns (@CourtneyJohnsTV) November 13, 2020
Dr. Pour says it's been 9 months since we had our first #coronavirus case.
— Courtney Johns (@CourtneyJohnsTV) November 13, 2020
Dr. Pour, "We have seen an extreme increase in cases." 56% last week. #coronavirus #omaha
— Courtney Johns (@CourtneyJohnsTV) November 13, 2020
#coronavirus #Omaha
— Courtney Johns (@CourtneyJohnsTV) November 13, 2020
Dr. Pour says more testing is not attributing to how bad the positivity rate is. "We are on a steep curve."
Dr. Pour says she is seeing an increase in cases involving 10-19 years old. #coronavirus #Omaha
— Courtney Johns (@CourtneyJohnsTV) November 13, 2020
Dr. Pour says since the beginning of the pandemic, 38% of the Douglas County community has been tested for coronavirus. 5% of the overall community has tested positive since. The community mortality rate is less than 1%.
— Alyssa Curtis (@AlyssaNCurtis) November 13, 2020
260 individuals have died due to COVID.
Dr. Pour says 393 covid patients currently in hospitals in Omaha. She says that the number has doubled in the last two weeks and it could potentially double again in the next two weeks. By Christmas, she says we could be looking at having around 1,000 covid patients in our area.
— Courtney Johns (@CourtneyJohnsTV) November 13, 2020
Dr. Pour says the county has seen an extreme increase in COVID cases in the past two weeks. A 56% increase, to be exact.
— Alyssa Curtis (@AlyssaNCurtis) November 13, 2020
Testing has increased by 12% but the positivity rate has increased by over 29%. Dr. Pour says that those who say cases are rising because testing is increasing is not accurate.
— Alyssa Curtis (@AlyssaNCurtis) November 13, 2020
It sounds like most of the measures Dr. Pour has mentioned are ones that are already being implemented by the state.
— Courtney Johns (@CourtneyJohnsTV) November 13, 2020
Many positive cases have been seen lately in people ages 20-34 years. 70% of cases have been seen between ages 22 and 64.
— Alyssa Curtis (@AlyssaNCurtis) November 13, 2020
Over the last 3 weeks, there has been a slight increase of cases in people ages 10-19.
The county is seeing clusters in elementary and secondary schools, long term care facilities and whole sale retailers.
— Alyssa Curtis (@AlyssaNCurtis) November 13, 2020
OPD says they have received around 455 calls involving covid concerns and businesses following the rules.
— Courtney Johns (@CourtneyJohnsTV) November 13, 2020
There are currently 393 COVID patients in Omaha hospitals. On October 26, there were 190 COVID patients occupying beds so hospitalizations are increasing rapidly.
— Alyssa Curtis (@AlyssaNCurtis) November 13, 2020
Deputy police chief Scott Gray said there have been 455 compliance checks between those that have been phoned in and those that are officer initiated. They are focusing on bars and tavern settings.
— Alyssa Curtis (@AlyssaNCurtis) November 13, 2020
With compliance checks their goal is not to criminalize a public health issue but to get a higher level of compliance. No citations have been given so far. Stothert said most checks that are done, officers find that people are in fact in compliance.
— Alyssa Curtis (@AlyssaNCurtis) November 13, 2020
Those that are not in compliance are given a warning and a copy of the ordinance. Officers then go back and re check a few days later, they find that people are in compliance.
— Alyssa Curtis (@AlyssaNCurtis) November 13, 2020
Chief Medical Officer from Nebraska Med, Dr. Harris Frankel says their biggest concern is staffing. Expanding capacity is based on staffing abilities.
— Alyssa Curtis (@AlyssaNCurtis) November 13, 2020
Dr. Frankel says the trajectory rate of new cases is rising and in 7 to 14 days they could be at capacity. They need the public to adhere to non pharmaceutical interventions such as wearing a mask, social distancing and washing hands.
— Alyssa Curtis (@AlyssaNCurtis) November 13, 2020
Chief Medical Officer of Methodist Hospital Dr. Bill Lydiatt says we owe a debt of gratitude to doctors and nurses and the best way to pay that debt is to wear a mask, social distance and consider having holidays be smaller affairs.
— Alyssa Curtis (@AlyssaNCurtis) November 13, 2020
Mayor Stothert addressed questions regarding why the mask ordinance has been extended until February when we're not sure what numbers and cases will look like then. She said it takes about 5 weeks to pass and then 15 days to become law.
— Alyssa Curtis (@AlyssaNCurtis) November 13, 2020
Mayor Stothert says there are no COVID-19 metrics that will cause the city to remove its current mask mandate until it expires in February.
— Courtney Johns (@CourtneyJohnsTV) November 13, 2020
It's easier to extend it for a longer period of time so the council doesn't have to go through the process and pass a new ordinance every single month.
— Alyssa Curtis (@AlyssaNCurtis) November 13, 2020
Mayor Stothert says there will be limited access to city buildings starting Monday. #coronavirus
— Courtney Johns (@CourtneyJohnsTV) November 13, 2020
Mayor Stothert says libraries are at 25% capacity now. #covid
— Courtney Johns (@CourtneyJohnsTV) November 13, 2020
#coronavirus Community centers, ice rinks, golf courses, pools are all down to 25% .
— Courtney Johns (@CourtneyJohnsTV) November 13, 2020
Stothert addressed the "shop without a mask" demonstration being talked about. She says she and OPD is taking this very seriously and will not allow people to break the law. #coronavirus
— Courtney Johns (@CourtneyJohnsTV) November 13, 2020
Stothert says she did not agree with the anti mask billboard that was taken down, but that it is a free speech issue and she has to be careful with that. #coroanvirus
— Courtney Johns (@CourtneyJohnsTV) November 13, 2020
42 OPD officers are currently being treated for COVID-19. 126 have tested positive since the start of the pandemic. #coronavirus
— Courtney Johns (@CourtneyJohnsTV) November 13, 2020
Dr. Pour says she's hopeful about the vaccine. She said it's not going to change everything. People will have to be vaccinated slowly in small groups so it'll take a while, but the vaccine is good news.
— Alyssa Curtis (@AlyssaNCurtis) November 13, 2020
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