Nebraska community hits a grim milestone with over 1,000 COVID-19 deaths & counting

This comes as the area confirmed another nine deaths in a single day

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Neb. (KLKN) – The Douglas County Health Department announced they have confirmed over 1,000 deaths caused by COVID-19.

In a statement, Douglas County Health Director Dr. Linsday Huse said, “For a person to be considered a confirmed COVID-19-related death, there must be a current positive COVID-19 test, and the attending physician or the county coroner (a certifier) must make the determination that COVID-19 contributed to or was the main cause of that person’s death.”

Huse said if a patient has an underlying condition, and has a positive test, it will be counted as a COVID-19-related death because they likely would not have died at that time without the virus.

She maintains that the vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others.

The total number of COVID-19 deaths in Douglas County now sits at 1,008.  Nine deaths were reported Tuesday, which pushed the county over the 1,000 death threshold.

All of the ICU beds in Douglas County hospitals are at least 80% full.