School, health district numbers lower

    There are 40% fewer COVID-19 positive cases in Chase County than the week before.
    And, since last week’s report of 12 positive cases in students at Chase County Schools, only one new case has been reported in the local student body.
    CCS Secretary Deb Blecha, who with other staff is tracking the school absences, said, “This week is good, knock on wood.”
     There are also about half the number of student absences this week, she said. Some of the quarantined students last week are back, while others are out of school now due to family exposure.
    She’s heard a lot of staff, students and parents took advantage of last Thursday’s free TestNebraska COVID testing at the EMS/Emergency Management building in Imperial.
    “I haven’t heard of any positives of those who were tested” among CCS staff or students, she added.
    This week’s report from the Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department shows 137 new cases of COVID-19 reported between Oct. 13-19.
    Of that total, 32 were in Chase County.
    That’s down considerably from the prior week’s 54 cases in Chase County.
    The past week’s numbers in the other SWNPHD counties shows: Dundy – 1; Frontier – 13; Furnas – 9; Hayes – 8; Hitchcock – 9; Keith – 14; Perkins – 10; and Red Willow – 41.

Director Myra Stoney said this brings the totals for the health district to 572 COVID cases with 352 recovered. Many of these cases are linked to direct contact with another positive case. However, community spread is occurring across all nine counties, Stoney said.
    The COVID-19 Community Risk Dial for this week  remains at orange, meaning residents of southwest Nebraska have a high risk of contracting COVID-19.
    Orange level recommendations include wearing a mask in public, washing hands and surfaces often, limiting travel and working from home when possible. High-risk and vulnerable individuals should avoid public places.
    Stoney said SWNPHD joins with local and state leadership in an appeal to business owners and parents to do the right thing to keep the schools open.
    “If the schools close, businesses are also going to suffer, not only with financial difficulties but with staffing because their employees may have childcare issues and not be able to attend work,” she said.
Governor tightens up
    As numbers were increasing and making national news last week, Gov. Pete Ricketts tightened up some of the state’s guidelines again, announcing them on Friday.

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