Nebraska Health and Human Services reported another 28 COVID-19 related deaths on Wednesday, bringing the state death toll to 978.
On the positive side, the number of hospitalizations fell by 6 to 930.
That’s important because Gov Pete Ricketts has said he will impose stricter COVID-19 limits if those patients take up more than 25% of the state’s staffed hospital beds or about 1,060 cases.
There were 2,394 new cases and only 675 recoveries as the number of active cases rose to 59,421 with 120,076 total cases and 59,677 recoveries so far.
The percentage of available hospital beds remained unchanged at 29% and ventilators at 67% while available ICU beds jumped from 29% to 34%.
Panhandle Unified Command reported 210 new cases, 115 recoveries, and no deaths as the number of active cases came in at 2,444 including 64 who are hospitalized. There have been 5,682 total cases and 49 deaths in the Panhandle.
Dawes County had 6 new cases, 4 recoveries, and no deaths as the number of active cases edged up to 87. The county has had 468 total cases and 10 deaths.
Chadron State College had 1 new case and 1 recovery, both students, to stay at 15 active cases – 13 of them students. The school has reported 139 total cases, 115 of whom are students.
The Chadron Public Schools have had 31 cases but only 2 are active, one each at the high school and middle school, but the number of current quarantines is up to 13.