Dec 01, 2021

Many of Nebraska's COVID hospitalizations are young adults

Posted Dec 01, 2021 8:00 PM

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska health officials say that many of the sickest COVID-19 patients who are filling up the state’s hospitals are now unvaccinated younger adults instead of older individuals.

The number of people hospitalized in Nebraska with the virus continues to climb this fall, and it hit 555 on Tuesday, which is the highest it has been since last winter.

Although the number of hospitalizations remains well below last fall’s peak of 987, hospital capacity remains strained.

The state said just 13% of the adult intensive care beds and 20% of the pediatric ICU beds were available Tuesday.

The Nebraska Hospital Association says unvaccinated patients in the state’s hospitals outnumber vaccinated patients by a ratio of 11:1.