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COVID-19 deaths in Douglas County hit 900, total cases top 100k and ICU occupancy remains high

Posted at 10:38 AM, Dec 23, 2021
and last updated 2021-12-23 11:38:18-05

OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On Thursday the Douglas County Health Department said in a release that it confirmed 266 new positive COVID-19 tests were received since midnight the previous day.

The health department received three new death certificates during the past day. Two men died who were unvaccinated; one of whom was in his 30s and one in his 70s. A vaccinated woman over 75 also died.

The total number of positive cases reported since March of 2020 is 100,040. The number of COVID-19-related deaths in Douglas County during the pandemic now has reached 900.

The Omaha Metropolitan Health Care 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 hospital capacity report to the Douglas County Health Department on a near-daily basis.

According to the most recent local hospital report received Wednesday afternoon:

  • Medical and surgical beds were at 90% occupancy with 138 staffed beds available.
  • Adult ICU beds were occupied at a 93% rate with 22 staffed beds available.
  • There were 286 individuals hospitalized who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, with 87 of them receiving adult ICU level care.
  • Eleven pediatric patients were confirmed among those hospitalized. Pediatric ICU beds were at 85% capacity with 19 beds available.
  • There were eight additional COVID-19 persons of interest (generally waiting for test results) to report, with all of them adult cases.
  • Forty-four individuals who were confirmed or suspected of having COVID-19 were on ventilators.

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