May 19, 2020

Nebraska reports 2 more virus deaths, 277 new cases

Posted May 19, 2020 10:05 PM

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Two more people have died from the coronavirus in Nebraska and the state reported 277 new cases as of Monday, according to public health officials.

The newest numbers bring the total number of deaths statewide to 125 and the total number of positive cases to 10,625, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. More than 70,100 people have been tested since the pandemic began.

The number of new patients has been trending downward since the a peak of 677 new cases on May 7, but public health officials say it's important to continue practicing safety measures such as social distancing.

Nebraska's hospital capacity for treating patients with the virus is fairly stable. The state's hospitals report that 46% of their beds, 40% of their intensive care unit beds and 77% of their ventilators are available for use if needed.

For some infected people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause severe illness or death. But for most people, it causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks.