Wednesday Dec. 23 COVID-19 update: Douglas County reports 417 new cases, 15 deaths

(WOWT) - Here is a summary of new cases and other COVID-19 stats reported today by health officials across Nebraska & Iowa.

Douglas County

The Douglas County Health Department reported 417 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. The average number of cases reported over the last 7 days is about 360.

The total number of cases since the pandemic began is now 50,338.

Nine men ranging in age from their early 50s to 90, and six women ranging from 60s to over 80 have passed away. The total number of lives lost since the start of the pandemic in March is now 455.

As of their most recent report, medical and surgical beds were at 76 percent occupancy, with 376 beds available. ICU beds are occupied at a 67 percent rate with 111 beds available.

A total of 28,098 residents have recovered since the start of the pandemic.

On Sunday, DCHD reported the seven-day positivity rate at 29.1%, up from 28.5% the week prior.

NDCS staff members test positive

Nine staff members with the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services have tested positive for COVID-19.

The staff members are currently isolating at home and are employed by these locations: Omaha Correctional Center (2), Nebraska State Penitentiary (2), Lincoln Correctional Center (2), Tecumseh State Correctional Institution (1), Community Corrections Center-Lincoln (1) and the Nebraska Correctional Youth Facility (1).

This brings the total number of NDCS staff members diagnosed with COVID-19 to 448.

Lincoln reports three more COVID-19 deaths

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department said Wednesday that three more residents there had died from COVID-19, bringing the community death toll to 144.

Two women in their 90s living in long-term care facilities and a woman in her 80s who had been hospitalized were the most recent victims.

LLCHD also said it had confirmed 166 new positive cases, bringing the community total to 21,461 since the start of the pandemic. The seven-day positivity rate, reported Saturday, is 25.3%.

Additionally, 47 more recoveries were reported, bringing that total to 6,354.

Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird reminded residents that the state’s new DHMs would not override those put in place by the city, which remain in effect until Jan. 15.

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REFERENCE NOTE -- 6 News pulls data from Nebraska and Iowa COVID-19 dashboards at 6 p.m. daily. All other reports in this post come from official news releases from area health departments and other authorities as stated.