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COVID cases in Omaha metro rise slightly while hospitalizations decrease

COVID-19 ventilator hospital
Posted at 1:27 PM, Dec 12, 2022
and last updated 2022-12-12 14:27:48-05

OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The Douglas County Health Department on Monday reported 451 new cases since its last report on Thursday for a total of 174,960 cases of COVID-19 since March 2020.

The case numbers reported do not include at-home tests. The county health department still encourages Douglas County residents to report their at-home test results because health officials do review them.

Since Monday, DCHD received confirmation of six more COVID-19-related deaths since our last report. The deaths involve a man in his 60s and five women, ranging from the mid-50s to late 80s. Five of them had been vaccinated, but their current vaccination status is not known, according to the health department. The number of COVID-19-related deaths in Douglas County during the pandemic is now 1,233.

The health department told 3 News Now that it considers being vaccinated for COVID-19 as having the first two shots and that individuals who are listed as vaccinated may or may not have had boosters.

The Omaha Metropolitan Healthcare Coalition — which encompasses Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders, Dodge, and Washington counties in Nebraska, plus hospitals in Council Bluffs and Missouri Valley, Iowa — releases updated COVID-19 case counts and a hospital occupancy report to the Douglas County Health Department on Mondays and Thursdays. The overall numbers include both COVID-19 patients and hospitalized patients for all other illnesses and injuries unless otherwise noted.

According to the most recent local hospital coalition update received by DCHD on Sunday:

  • There were 133 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19, including eight pediatric cases.
    • Eighteen patients were receiving ICU-level care.
    • Four people who were confirmed or suspected of having COVID-19 were on a ventilator.
    • There were ten COVID-19 persons of interest, and four were possible adult cases.
  • Medical and surgical beds were occupied at a 88% rate with 198 staffed beds available.
    • Adult ICU beds were occupied at an 83% rate with 50 staffed beds available.
    • Pediatric ICU beds were at 89% of capacity with seven beds available.

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