GERING, Neb. (AP) – The first confirmed case of COVID-19 has been reported in far western Nebraska’s Scotts Bluff County, the state said.
The patient is a man in his 30s who has been in isolation at his home since Tuesday, local health officials said.
His case and other newly reported cases brought the state total to 120, the Nebraska Health and Human Services Department said late Sunday.
For most people, COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
Earlier Sunday, Gov. Pete Ricketts’ order limiting public gatherings to 10 people or fewer was extended to Burt, Cuming, Madison and Stanton counties. The order was extended after a community spread case was reported in Madison County. A day earlier, the order was imposed on Butler, Hall, Hamilton, Merrick, Polk, Seward, and York counties.
The order effectively shuts down the dining rooms of restaurants and bars and closes churches, theaters, schools and gyms in those areas. Funerals and weddings are also limited to no more than 10 people.
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