LINCOLN -COVID-19 cases have continued to decline in Lancaster County, an encouraging sign that has spurred the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department to lower its risk dial for the first time in months.

But it's not enough to end the county's mask mandate.

Health Director Pat Lopez on Tuesday announced that mask mandate, set to expire on Thursday, would be extended another month as part of a new directed health measure.

At the same time, Lopez said the county's COVID-19 risk dial has dropped from mid-orange to low orange, signaling that while the risk of spread is still high, it is slightly less than it has been in recent weeks. The dial had been in mid-orange since Aug. 24 after climbing steadily since July.

COVID-19 cases have now declined nearly 35% in Lancaster County since the beginning of September. The seven-day daily average of cases dropped last week to 90, down from a high of 140.

Hospitalizations, however, have not followed the same trajectory. They had leveled off at a daily average of around 100 last week, but as of Tuesday, there were 112 patients in local hospitals, half of whom are out-of-county residents.

"Hospital capacity continues to be seriously strained," Lopez said.

Lopez said the test positivity rate continues to be high, too, hovering around 10%.

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