Listen To This Story
The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department reports a dip in Covid-19 cases and local positivity rate, but the risk dial will remain in the red this week.
Covid cases in the county have dropped nearly 40 percent over the past two weeks, and the local positivity rate dropped from about 30 percent to 25 percent. Health Director Pat Lopez said the numbers are an improvement, but still very high, so the risk dial will remain in red this week – the highest risk of COVID-19 spread.
"Even though our cases have peaked, this doesn't mean the threat is over. The risk of infection is still very high," Lopez said.
Hospitalization rates in Lincoln are still at the highest rate they've been so far in the COVID-19 pandemic. Lopez said hospitalization rates have been consistently high since September of 2021, and have only gotten worse since the omicron surge.
“What is different now than the previous highs of COVID-19 hospitalizations is that the most recent increase in patients has remained elevated for a very long time," she said. "This has put continuous and considerable strain on both the hospital capacity and the staff."
The department recorded 37 COVID deaths in January, which is the highest monthly death toll since last January.