The number of new cases of COVID-19 in Nebraska has risen steadily in recent weeks, as has the number of hospitalizations, as the highly-contagious Delta variant of the virus continues to spread.
Nebraska Health and Human Services reported Wednesday that the state had 2,575 new cases last week, an increase of over 25% and more than 10 times the 253 cases in the last week of June when the last COVID restrictions were lifted
State health officials also said 17 people who were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 have died since January, but did not clarify if any of the deaths were related to the disease.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases in South Dakota more than doubled over the last week with hospitalizations also seeing a large jump.
The state health department reports 862 new confirmed cases, up from 429 last week, while hospitals reported 75 patients with COVID-19 compared to 39 a week ago. There was also one more COVID death, bringing the state total to 2,051.
How many are in the panhandle?
PPHD is reporting 132 cases in the last 14 days. 58 of those cases are in Scottsbluf.
They no longer report individual county numbers, except in cities of more than 20,000. That means 58 cases in Scottsbluff and 74 cases in the rest of the Panhandle in the last 2 weeks.
You can visit pphd.org for additional information.