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COVID-19 indicators are trending in the right direction across the state, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
Over the last two weeks, COVID cases in Nebraska are down 13%, according to the CDC. That’s a drop from a 7-day average of 650 cases per day to an average of 560 cases. Nebraska’s cases reflect a broader nationwide drop from the Delta variant.
Hospitalizations are also headed down. The Nebraska Dept. of Health and Human Services tallies 375 active hospitalizations as of Sunday. During the peak of the Delta wave, hospitalizations climbed to about 450.
The strain on the state’s hospital system also appears to be waning. More than 31% of regular adult beds are available in Nebraska hospitals. Just 22% had been free at the beginning of the month. Intensive care units have been in greater demand lately. As of Sunday, 20% of adult ICUs are unoccupied compared to lows of 15% a few weeks prior.
The 7-day average for vaccinations also saw a slight uptick in the past couple days. For the most part, however, the number of vaccinations has slowly dwindled since mid-April peak. Right now, about 1,800 people receive a dose each day. With booster shots being rolled out, it’s expected the number of doses given may rise just as it did in the spring.