OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The number of coronavirus patients in Nebraska's hospitals appears to have stabilized for now even though the numbers are still elevated, according to new data.
State officials said 779 people were hospitalized with the virus as of Thursday evening, a number that has remained relatively unchanged over the last several days. The state reached a single-day high of 987 hospitalizations last month, raising the prospect of tougher social-distancing restrictions.
Nebraska confirmed 1,850 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, a number that has been trending downward since the latest peak in the middle of November. The state reported 145,774 known cases and 1,329 deaths since the pandemic began.
The elevated numbers have raised concerns that hospitals could become overwhelmed with patients and lead to even more deaths. Most of the people who have died from the virus in Nebraska are elderly.
Nebraska still has 28% of its hospital beds, 26% of its intensive care unit beds and 70% of its ventilators available for virus patients.