OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Nebraska remains near record levels, but the total has remained relatively stable over the past week.
The state said 971 people were hospitalized with the virus on Monday. Over the past week, that figure has gone up and down between a low of 961 last Wednesday and Friday's record of 987.
But more social distancing restrictions could still be triggered soon because more than 23% of the state's hospital beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients. Gov. Pete Ricketts has said that more restrictions will be imposed when that figure reaches 25% of the state's hospital beds.
Nebraska reported 1,860 new cases of the virus Monday to give the state 115,921 total. The state also reported 25 new deaths for a total of 934 since the pandemic began.
Nebraska had the seventh-highest rate of infection in the country on Monday. Over the past week, one out of every 135 people in the state was diagnosed with COVID-19.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska has risen over the past two weeks from 1,757.57 new cases per day on Nov. 9 to 2,271.43 new cases per day on Monday.