Lincoln has Five More Deaths from COVID-19

Lincoln, NE (December 15, 2020)  Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department (LLCHD) today announced that five more residents have died from COVID-19.  The total number of deaths in Lancaster County is now 126.

The deaths included a man in his 80s, a man and woman in their 70s, and a man in his 60s who were all hospitalized, and a woman in her 60s who was in a long-term care facility.

LLCHD reports 190 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lancaster County today, bringing the community total to 20,314.  Over the past 15 days, Lancaster County has averaged 220 new cases per day.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Visit COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov to access a dashboard that summarizes Lancaster County COVID-19 data. LLCHD also released the following information today:

Recoveries: up from 5,879 to 5,939

Weekly positivity rate:

  • December 6 through December 12:  27.5 percent
  • December 13 through 15:  28.5 percent

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 positive patients: 105 with 63 from Lancaster County (three on ventilators) and 42 from other communities (11 on ventilators).

The COVID-19 Risk Dial is in the red position indicating a severe risk of the virus spreading. Residents are advised to follow these recommendations to protect themselves and others:

  • Stay at home unless traveling for work, school, food or medical care or to check on others who may need assistance.
  • Work from home if possible.
  • Wear a face mask when interacting with anyone outside of your household.
  • Stay at least six feet away from anyone outside of your household.
  • Avoid gatherings.
  • Only visit businesses and participate in activities where public health guidelines are observed.  The guidelines include mask wearing, physical distancing and capacity limits.
  • Follow travel guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control at cdc.gov.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, shortness of breath, repeated shaking with chills, repeated muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell.  If you have symptoms, please get tested.  Testing is now open to all Lancaster County residents by appointment only.

The testing process begins with a free online risk assessment available at BryanHealth.com, CHIHealth.com or TestNebraska.com.  Drive through test sites include:

  • Bryan Health: Former Graham Tire Store, northeast corner of 19th and “O” streets.
  • Test Nebraska: Gateway Mall, 6100 “O” St., north parking lot of the former Sears store, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.  For more information visit testnebraska.com or call 402-207-9377.
  • CHI Health St. Elizabeth: Autumn Ridge Family Medicine, 5000 North 26th St. and Southwest Family Health, 1240 Aries Drive.  Call either site to schedule an appointment: Autumn Ridge at 402-435-5300 and South West Family at 402-420-1300.