Cherry County in northwest Nebraska is the latest to confirm a first case of COVID-19, as the state's total count reached 323 Saturday afternoon.
Health officials have warned that the total number will grow more rapidly as testing expands. The number of cases confirmed Friday, 21, was the lowest in four days; but 35 cases have been confirmed on Saturday as of 6 p.m. CT.
The number of Nebraskans who have died due to COVID-19 increased to eight, with Douglas County reporting two additional deaths Saturday. One of those deaths is a man in his 80s who was on hospice care at the Douglas County Health Center, where 13 long-term care residents and five employees have tested positive.
Douglas County remains the area with the most cases at 131, but Hall County has surpassed Sarpy and Washington to for second-most cases with 40.
State officials also confirmed a new community-spread case in Gage County. Such cases were one used to trigger restrictions in public gatherings to limit the spread, but Gov. Pete Ricketts on Friday placed all remaining Nebraska counties under a Directed Health Measure. The order mandates no public gatherings of more than ten people, restrict bars and restaurants to delivery, drive-thru and carry-out service, and prohibit elective surgeries. Learn more about DHMs here.
Latest news: netNebraska.org/coronavirus