OMAHA- After a huge surge of cases in October and November, Nebraska maintained one of the highest rates of new cases in the nation. Now, cases are down 37% and hospitalizations are down 30%. The numbers are still much higher than they should be, officials said.

UNMC officials say the mask mandates passed outside of Omaha in Lincoln in late November are most likely having a huge impact on the state's infection rate. Nebraska has seen the nation's second-steepest reduction in hospitalizations, only trailing neighboring state Iowa. More coronavirus victims from nursing homes are also now able to be treated in the homes rather than automatically being sent to the hospital. Deaths last week were at 157, following a week of record-number deaths in the state which was 202 fatalities. Governor Ricketts would still like to see Nebraskans reduce the number of people at holiday gatherings and to continue to do what many know as right.

“Even with the improvement, the numbers where we are right now would have appalled us in the spring,” Dr. James Lawler said. “We have a vaccine rolling out, but that doesn’t change the overall picture. We’re still in a pretty dangerous spot. Things could still turn south pretty easily.”

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