More Deaths From Corona Virus In Lincoln

Lincoln, NE (December 21, 2020) Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department (LLCHD) today announced that two more residents have died from COVID-19.  The total number of deaths in Lancaster County is now 137.

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

LLCHD said 175 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lancaster County were reported Sunday and 25 today.  Sunday’s results were delayed due to the State’s technical difficulties.  Those issues continue today, and may result  in an incomplete count for Monday.  The total number of cases in Lancaster County is now 21,106.

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 6,108 to 6,244

Weekly positivity rate:

  • December 13 through 19:  27.4 percent
  • December 20 through 21:  27.2 percent

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 positive patients: 103 with 55 from Lancaster County (five on ventilators) and 48 from other communities (four 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.  Tests are conducted from 8:45 to 11:15 a.m. Mondays and 8:45 to 11:45 a.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.  The drive-through will be closed December 25 through 27.
  • 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.  The holiday hours for testing are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Christmas Eve; 10 am. to 2 p.m. Christmas Day; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. New Year’s Eve; and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. New Year’s Day.
  • Test Nebraska: Gateway Mall, 6100 “O” St., north parking lot of the former Sears store.  Tests are conducted from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.  The site will be closed Christmas Day but will be open New Year’s Day. For more information, call 402-207-9377.

For more information, visit COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov or call the Health Department hotline at 402-441-8006.

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