LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Another Nebraska prison inmate has tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services said the new case was reported at the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln. So far, a total of eight inmates and 20 employees in the state prison system have tested positive for COVID-19.
State officials said anyone who had close contact with the inmate who tested positive will be told to quarantine themselves until they are cleared by a doctor.
Across Nebraska, 17,707 cases of coronavirus and 244 deaths linked to the virus have been reported.
The state's hospitals report that 43% of their beds, 51% of intensive care beds and 80% of the ventilators statewide remain available.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness.