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COVID-19 Tests At Bryan Health Showing More Positive Results

By News Jun 30, 2020 | 3:50 PM

Bryan Health released more details regarding COVID-19 testing results on Tuesday.

They have tested 13,061 people with 1,595 people testing positive for the virus.  There are currently four patients hospitalized there with COVID-19.  Two are in ICU.

Dr. Anne Perlman says they are seeing a new trend as they continue to test people for the virus.  A higher percentage are testing positive.  That number went from 3.2% last week to 6.5% this week.  She says 65% of those tested positive were younger than age 40.  There is fear that the increase in positive tests will eventually reach higher-risk populations.

Dr. Perlman wants to emphasize the importance of wearing masks and social distancing.  That will remain in effect for quite some time.  She debunks myths that masks can make you sick by touching them often.  Another myth is that people will suffer from low oxygen levels or from high carbon dioxide levels from wearing masks often.  She says those in the medical profession have worn masks for hours every day and there are no risks of becoming ill from wearing one.

Many have also compared COVID-19 to having the flu.  Dr. Perlman says she and her colleagues have never seen anything like this before.  She says the virus can cause strokes, heart attacks, kidney failure to blood clots to the lungs.  Dr. Pearlman says, “It is scary. you don’t want to get it.  It is not the flu.”

The latest statistics from Nebraska show the total number of cases topped 19,000.  There were 143 new cases reported on Tuesday, June 30th.  There are also two more deaths bringing the total to 269 in Nebraska.