OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The number of new coronavirus cases continues to decline in Nebraska, and the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 is at its lowest level since fall began.
Nebraska reported 1,724 new coronavirus cases last week, down from 3,606 the week before. There have now been 199,402 cases and 2,050 deaths reported since the pandemic began.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska decreased over the past two weeks from 410.86 new cases per day on Feb. 8 to 245.29 new cases per day on Monday.
There are 166 people hospitalized with the virus across the state, up slightly from the previous day's 161. The last time the number was that low was in mid September.
The state said 7.4% of Nebraska's population has now received both required doses of a coronavirus vaccine, and nearly 81% of the 433,825 doses allocated to the state have been administered.
The state's chief medical officer, Dr. Gary Anthone, said the supply of vaccine could increase soon if a third vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson gets emergency approval from the federal government. He said the state would likely receive between 5,000 and 10,000 more doses of vaccine a week once that third vaccine starts to ship.
Currently, Nebraska expects to receive 37,120 first doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines this week.