Downward COVID-19 trends continue

    If a person can use “good news” in the same sentence as COVID-19, that’s the case this week on the latest area and state new virus numbers.
    The downward trend in new cases and hospitalized patients in the SW Nebraska Public Health District (SWNPHD) and the state of Nebraska continue.
    SWNPHD had 27 new cases of COVID-19 reported the week of Feb. 9-16, the most recent numbers released. That’s a big drop from the week prior when 74 new cases were logged.
    Chase had just three new cases Feb. 9-16. Other counties in the health district showed: Dundy-3; Frontier-0; Furnas-4; Hayes-1; Hitchcock-4; Keith-3; Perkins-1; and Red Willow-8.
    Myra Stoney, the district’s health director, said testing for COVID-19 has decreased across the area, as well, with medical providers reporting that individuals are now being treated for COVID-19 symptoms without being tested.
    Stoney said the district’s vaccine waiting list has also seen a drop from nearly 6,000  to 2,500 since early January.
    Hospitalizations for COVID are dropping significantly statewide, as well.
    The latest report from the Dept. of NE Health and Human Services (DHHS) on Feb. 17 shows Nebraska hospitals were caring for an average of 200 COVID-19 patients a day over the previous seven days. Averages in prior weeks were 265, 322 and 402 COVID patients.