The Superior Express -

The numbers of COVID-19 cases and influenza are rapidly increasing and healthcare officials are urging people to do their part to prevent a winter surge of respiratory illnesses by getting vaccinated against both viruses.

COVID cases grew at an expotential rate in Nebraska last week, with the 3,619 new virus cases the count is up 83 percent from 1,982 the previous week according to a report from the Federal Centers for Disease Control. In the Lincoln and Omaha metropolitan counties the number of reported cases more than doubled. This is the sharpest increase since January when the omicron variant sent cases to the highest levels in the three-year pandemic.

Influenza cases are also rising at a rapid rate but the number of respiratory syneytial virus (RSV) cases appears to be declining in Nebraska.

While the increases may be frightening, they remain well below the peak levels reached last January and health care officials don’t expect the case counts to return to those levels.

Nationwide COVID case counts were up 49 percent last week. Nebraska’s last week increase was the nation’s fourth highest.