KEARNEY –Two Rivers Public Health updated the weekly risk dial on Thursday, October 8. The level of risk is still in the orange “Elevated” section, but has raised significantly this week. Many factors go into determining the level of risk each week. The following factors contributed to this week’s determination:
- Two Rivers Health Department is happy to announce that some of the issues with data resolution that affected positivity rates across the district in the previous two weeks seem to have been resolved. Consequently, the number of test results received this week almost doubled compared to the previous week, and the number of positives rose by 60% compared to the previous week. Hence, although positivity rates fell by almost 2% compared to the previous week, we would continue to advise caution.
- Hospitalization rates and use of critical equipment have risen dramatically when compared to previous weeks. The availability of intensive care (ICU) beds in the district area dropped from about three quarters to only half.
- Of particular concern are reports from acute care hospitals in the greater Two Rivers Health region that they may be at or nearing capacity. While critical access hospitals do not currently see the same kind of pressure in occupancy, upstream pressure on acute referral hospital beds has influenced the department’s perception of the countywide risk
- Over the past week, 60-79 year-olds were over a quarter of all positive cases in the district, despite accounting for about a sixth of all tests conducted. Due to the special risks for severe disease faced by this age group, the department continues to monitor the cases closely.
- Communal events conducted in the district may have resulted in a high number of new infections from a single point source. Two Rivers is closely monitoring an outbreak of COVID-19 in Kearney county related to the Lutheran Church Services
ABOUT TWO RIVERS PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Two Rivers Public Health Department engages collaborative partners, community leaders and the public to promote healthy lifestyles, provide preventative education, assure environmental quality, and create more healthy and safe communities for all who live within the district. Follow TRPHD on Facebook and Twitter @2RPHD.
