Nebraska COVID-19 cases are back on the rise, with the number of cases last week reaching the highest level in three months.
The state reported 1,500 new virus cases last week, a sharp increase from just over 800 each of the two previous weeks, according to figures compiled from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
It was Nebraska’s fifth straight weekly increase and put cases at their highest level since mid-February.
Nebraska’s two-week case growth of 86% exceeded the 61% U.S. figure and ranked in the top third among the states. But Nebraska’s per-capita case rate continues to rank in the bottom tier nationally, 41st among the states.
Neighboring Colorado (third) and Iowa (eighth) also rank high in their two-week growth in cases. In all, COVID case numbers were rising last week in all but four states.
Hospitalizations in Nebraska also are creeping up, averaging 69 last week compared to 55 the week before. But they remain relatively low, still half the levels they were just two months ago.
Nationally, the increase in cases is being driven by the subvariant BA.2, which was the dominant variant as of the week ending May 7. But the subvariant BA.2.12.1, which reportedly is more transmissible than BA.2, has taken over in places such as New York and New Jersey.
It’s widely recognized that new cases of the virus are being underreported as more people rely on at-home tests. Those results typically are not reported to health agencies.
In Nebraska, BA.2 made up 89% of positive virus samples that had been genomically sequenced, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Service’s report last week. However, the state currently is not distinguishing between BA.2 and BA.2.12.1 in its reports.
A tiny percentage of samples sequenced were the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of omicron, which are driving a surge in South Africa.
Health officials continue to urge all eligible Americans, including those who have had COVID-19 at some point during the pandemic, to get up to date on vaccines. For everyone age 12 and older, that means one booster in addition to the original series of vaccines. People 50 and older and those who are immunocompromised can get a fourth shot. The CDC’s online tool outlines who can get boosters.
Nebraska also added 18 more deaths last week, bringing the total number of confirmed or probable COVID deaths to 4,234. The state has reported 482,000 confirmed COVID cases.
How the availability of COVID-19 treatments has changed throughout the pandemic
January 2020: SARS-CoV-2 sequence is made public
May 2020: Emergency authorization for antiviral drug remdesivir
November 2020: First monoclonal antibody treatment receives authorization
December 2020: Pfizer, Moderna vaccines receive authorization
Summer 2021: Politicization of monoclonal antibody treatments
August 2021: Pfizer vaccine receives full FDA approval