2020 Media Releases

Date:

June 12, 2020

Media Contact:

Patricia Lopez, RN, MSN, Interim Health Director, 402-441-8093

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New Data Added to COVID-19 Dashboard

Risk Dial remains at yellow/moderate level

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department (LLCHD) has added new information to the online dashboard at COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov. The dashboard is updated every day at about 3 p.m. and provides information on the number of COVID-19 cases, deaths, recoveries, and tests. The new information added today, includes the following:

• Data has been added for cluster cases, which are those based on shared characteristics, primarily time and place. The dashboard shows that 45 percent of all local cases are part of a confirmed cluster of five or more cases.
• Demographic data has been added for those identified as recovered.
• Demographic data has also been added for those who have died from COVID-19. The data show the disparate impact of the virus on older adults. About 13 percent of all positive cases are among those age 60 and older, but this age group makes up 90 percent of COVID-related deaths in Lancaster County.
• Additional data has been added to the map to compare the number of positive cases and the number of tests completed by census tract.

LLCHD also announced today that the COVID-19 Risk Dial at COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov will remain at the yellow level, indicating a moderate risk of the spread of COVID-19. On the color-coded Dial, red represents the highest risk of COVID-19 spread, and green represents the lowest. The Dial is updated every Friday.

For each color of risk, LLCHD provides specific recommendations for physical distancing, face covering, hand washing, illness monitoring, and disinfection. Specific guidance is included for people at risk for complications due to COVID-19 and for businesses.

At the yellow level, the recommendations include the following:

• Consider staying at home most of the time, with caution for non-essential travel and work
• Distance at least six feet from anyone outside the home
• Cautious expansion of interactions with others, outdoor activities preferred
• Gatherings only with modifications for COVID-19
• Events only within guidance by the Health Department
• Face coverings continued to be recommended to be used around other people
• Continue to wash hands regularly, disinfect highly touched surfaces and monitor for illness

While the Dial remains in yellow, it has moved toward mid-yellow, indicating an improvement in the factors used to determine the risk for spread in Lancaster County:

• The number of new COVID-19 cases reported in the community continues to decline. The number of new cases reached 250 during the week ending May 23. The number went down to 146 last week, which ended June 6. So far this week, the number of new cases is 89.
• The overall positivity rate - the percentage of all tests that are positive - also continues to decline from a high of 9.5 percent May 15 to 7 percent today. The state rate is 12.5 percent, and the national rate is at 12 percent.
• The number of tests completed over the past three weeks is declining, in part due to Test Nebraska going from 7 days a week to two. However, the community's testing capacity remains steady.
• Overall, local hospital capacity remains strong. The number of COVID-19 patients in Lincoln hospitals has dropped from 41 patients June 3 to 26 patients today.
• The Health Department's capacity to do contact tracing continues to exceed the current demand.

More information on COVID-19 and the City's response is available at COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov. The website includes information on how those with symptoms of COVID-19 can be tested in Lincoln.