The Superior Express -

The number of new COVID-19 cases continued to increase in Nuckolls County this week.

After a week off, in-person classes began again Monday for students enrolled in the Superior Public Schools and the volleyball team, which had been in quarantine, played Monday and Tuesday in a conference tournament. The Wildcats, playing on their homecourt, defeated the Fairbury Jeffs in two sets and played Centennial Tuesday at Milford. The results of that game were not yet available as this issue went to press.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, all schools were limited to 100 spectators each. Masks were required for admittance. The gym was cleared and sanitized between games. Each Superior varsity player was allowed to put 6 people on a pass list which allowed them admission to Monday’s game. The game was broadcast over Striv.tv. The championship game will be played at 7 p.m. today (Thursday) at Milford.

For the week of October 11-17, the number of new positive cases of COVID-19 continued on an upward trend. In the four-county South Heartland Health District, the number of positive cases tested equalled 17.1 percent. By county the positivity rates for the week was 19.8 percent in Nuckolls, 31.2 percent in Webster, 16.4 percent in Adams and 8.3 percent in Clay.

The positivity rated is considered a key indicator of the extent to which the virus is circulating in the county. The district-wide rate was up from 14.1 percent the prior week. Rates above 15 percent indicate extensive spread. A rate of 5 percent or less indicates a low risk of additional virus spread.

Michele Bever, South Heartland director, said in a Monday night release, “Our positivity was below 1 percent four months ago. We can do it again. It is up to each of us to help slow the spread.”

During the past week, the district reported 219 new cases which was up from 150 the prior week. The weekly total of new cases has increased each of the past 10 weeks.

The district reported 99 new cases for the Friday through Monday period. The 99 new cases include 18 in Nuckolls, 13 in Clay, 21 in Webster and 47 in Adams County. Since March there have been 103 cases in Nuckolls County, 152 in Clay, 806 in Adams and 100 in Webster. Of those, 725 are classified as recovered. A total of 46 district residents have spent time in a hospital for treatment of COVID and 16 have died.

Of the 50 states, Nebraska currently has the fifth highest rate of new infections. On Saturday the Mary Lanning Hospital at Hastings was filled to about 90 percent of capacity with three patients on ventilators. Ten patients were being treated for COVID-19. The patients ranged in age from their mid-40s to 90s.